Living a Legend
by DreamerOnDrugs
Summary: Selyna can only survive if she joins the Grey Wardens, but she's not the only one that has been rescued from the taint. Somehow Tamlen too joins the world of the Grey Wardens, a world full of sighing and headaches. FemMahariel/Tamlen
1. All Alone

**Author's notes: **So this is it. My first Dragon age fanfiction. I'd actually finished this story two weeks ago but apparently some unseen force was keeping me form uploading them (this unseen force being my cat that'd kockt over a glass of water, letting me deal with a very wet and very broken laptop). Gee.. this is the first story I've wrote without gunfights xD. Well I hope you like it... And just so you know, English is not my first language and I have dyslexia so don't be too hard on me when I spell things wrong or when the grammar sucks. But if you notice a mistake please send a message or something so I can correct it. Reviews are always welcome ^^  
*** Update: **I've rewritten this chapter on 36/02/2011 as the first of the nine chapters I'm planning to re-write before writing new ones. I had taken a large break from this story and now I've decided to continue it once again I feel like I should start over. For the ones who've already read this story before: there are no major changes in this chapter. I changed the main character's appearance and she has some minor personality changes...apart from that the only different thing is that the chapter now has about 1.500 more words than it had before. Here is a link of Selyna's new appearance (clear out all the spaces): http : / / i871 . photobucket . com / albums / ab277 / Shousie / Selyna-1 . png

**Disclaimer:** I own nothing apart from my own fantasy and keyboard.

* * *

**All Alone**

The Grey Wardens, a world full of secrets, mysteries and sacrifices

A groan escaped her mouth, her whole body protesting as the elf tried to open her eyes. It seemed like every inch of her was somehow trying to turn inside out. Like her head and veins were near exploding...And then, there were the sounds. The whisper, the _song_ that sounded though her head. But the song wasn't made of words... or maybe it were words from a different language? Curious to what the words said, she tried listening to it with more attention. Though just when felt like she was almost able to hear them another voice broke through it, a closer one. "Can you hear me?" This voice sounded nothing like the voices in the song. It was one that was way easier for her to understand. Feeling like she should respond to this voice Selyna opened her eyes. However, this action brought her another wave of pain that simply refused to die down. The bright outside light wasn't exactly what one would call pleasant either. Only a few seconds had passed before she had to close her eyes again. Though just before she slipped back into unconsciousness she did noticed three silhouettes hovering over her, each of them easily recognizable as shems. "I am... very sorry."

oOo

By the time she was able to open her eyes again, the Dalish elf found herself surrounded by brown colored pelts. The same kind of pelts that were used to isolate the tents in their camp. _'I'm...back home?' _How could that be? Surely she hadn't walked back on her own strength, no? And if she somehow had managed to do that then wouldn't she remember it? The last thing that she remembered was the mirror...what had happened after Tamlen had touched it. _'Wait, where is Tamlen?'_ Shooting up, Selyna ignored the nagging pain in her head and quickly threw on her armor before moving outside. "You're awake!" Tilting her head, the she-elf watched the elf that had just spoken to her. It took her longer than it normally should, but after a few seconds she finally recognized the elf as Fenarel, a hunter from her clan. "You've got the creators' own luck Lethallan." He said, giving her a weak smile as he continued. "How are you feeling?"

At hearing this question Selyna rubbed the back of her head, still hearing the whispers and songs inside it. Though for some reason the whispers had silenced down, now only just audible over the nagging headache. "I feel like I've just been trampled by a dozen halla." She responded before focusing her eyes back on the other elf. He did not need to know that she was hearing voices in her head. "Where is Tamlen?"

The look on his face was all but reassuring, as was his answer to her question. "We don't know, the shem only brought you back."

"No, three." Selyna responded shortly, and a few seconds before realizing that she probably should clarify those words. "I know that there were three shems with me. Different ones than the ones that Tamlen and I killed in the forest...but there were defiantly three."

Solely from the expression on his face she could tell that he did not believed her and the words he spoke only added to this conclusion. "I'm not sure Lethallan...maybe you saw double. There was only one shem with you, a Grey Warden who appeared out of nowhere with you slung over his shoulder." A short hesitation sounded before he continued. "You were delirious with fever. The Warden said that he had found you outside a cave in the forest, unconsciousness and alone. He left you here and went straight to the keeper. She's been using the old magic to heal you...Wait, you and Tamlen killed those shemlen? The keeper is not going to like it when she hears that!"

The only thing that stopped Selyna from rolling her eyes at that point was the major headache, but she made sure that her irritation sounded through her voice loud and clearly. "What should we have done then? Lead the shemlen back to our camp?" She asked, not giving Fenarel a chance to respond before distracting him with a different question. "Is anyone looking for Tamlen?"

"Sh...I...we...errr..." For some reason he refused to meet her eyes, just as he refused to answer this question. Instead he quickly changed subject, not leaving her a single change to stop her before running off. "The keeper wanted to see you as soon as you'd recovered. Wait there, I'll... I'll get her for you!"

Frustrated by his sudden leave Selyna sat down on the ground in front of her tent, wondering why he hadn't simply answered her question. Honestly, why _wouldn't_ they search for Tamlen? He was a their brother, how could he just been abandoned while she was rescued by a shemlen of all beings? And there had been defiantly three of them. Why hadn't they- "I see you're awake Da'len." The familiar voice of the keeper sounded behind her, interrupting her thoughts. "It's fortunate that Duncan found you when he did. I know not what dark power held you but it nearly bled the life from you. It was difficult even for my magic to keep you alive."

These words defiantly distracted Selyna, though it did not kept her attention away from her friend. "...If it nearly killed me...then Tamlen could be sick, as well?"

"If he encountered the same thing as you did, yes." She responded, her tone sounding almost as worried as how Selyna currently was feeling. "Duncan said he found you alone outside a cave, already sicken. He introduced himself as a Grey Warden, but I'm afraid that we have no time to discuss this matter any longer. I will bring you to him now, there is much to discuss and we're leaving soon."

"The clan is leaving?" Selyna asked as she followed Marethari to her aravel. Maybe the keeper looked like an old elf, but she probably was still able to outrun most humans. Sadly, the nomadic life of the Dalish wasn't an easy one and soon even Marethari would be forced to step down as keeper and let her apprentice take over that role.

"If there is any truth in what Duncan said, then darkspawn may show up in these parts soon. We should get away from that horde. Apart from that we seem to have disturbed the humans in the nearby village." The keeper said. Something in her tone told Selyna that Marethari knew exactly what she and Tamlen had done to the humans that had stumbled on their camp...though part of her appreciated the fact that the keeper did not dwell on this subject any longer than she had to.

They arrived at the keeper's aravel after a few short minutes of walking, already seeing a dark-skinned shemlen standing in front of it. "You're the elf I found unconsciousness in the forest, aren't you?" He asked, his voice rumbling over the clearing.

"You..." Selyna said as she narrowed her eyes in an attempt to remember his silhouette a bit clearer. "I saw you when I first woke up." The she-elf concluded. "Where are the shems who were with you?"

"You must be mistaking." Duncan responded, sounding genuinely surprised. "I was there on my own."

"No, I'm sure that there were othe..." Halfway through the sentence, the red-haired elf cut herself off. It was obvious that her words were futile. No one seemed to believe her, not even the man of which she was sure that had been there when she had first awoken. Where they hiding something..? Just how serve had her injuries been? Or were they hiding something about Tamlen? Just where was he?

"Da'len, I understand that you are upset but you have to listen to what Duncan has to say now."

Following Marethari's words, Duncan spoke up once again. "Your keeper and I have spoken and we've come to an arrangement that concerns you." He said with a solemn voice. "You may feel better now, but the darkspawn taint still courses through your veins. If you look deep inside yourself you will see this as well." Taking the time for a deep breath he finally came to the point of this whole conversation. "My order is in need of help. You are in need of a cure. When I leave, I hope you will join me. You will make an excellent Grey Warden."

He wanted her to join the Grey Wardens? A Dalish? _Her_? "What?" Closing her eyes, Selyna forced her voice to a softer and more...normal tone before continuing. "What does this all have to do with my cure?"

"Everything I'm afraid." Duncan responded. "That you recovered from your sickness at all is remarkable. But eventually, the taint will still sicken and kill you, or worse. The Grey Wardens can prevent that, but it means joining us."

"But I can't leave my clan! We still need to find Tamlen-"

"We cannot watch you suffer, da'len. The Grey Wardens offer you a way to survive."

"This is not simply charity on my part. I would not offer this if I did not think you had the markings of a Grey Warden. Let me be clear. You will likely never return here. We go to fight the darkspawn, a battle that will take us far from your clan. But we need you and others like you."

Everyone in this conversation seemed know what was best for her. Did no one even paused for a second to look at the faith of others? Surely she was doing this, but shouldn't Marethari - as the keeper of this clan - watch out for the sons and daughters from the clan? "How about Tamlen? We need to him find and the mirror! How can you just leave him?"

It was Ducan who replied to her words, his voice still sounding as calm as it had sounded though the entire conversation. "I have destroyed the mirror, if I had not it would have affected the entire forest."

"Why do I get the feeling you are holding something back? What happened to Tamlen?"

"Dal'len, Duncan made clear that there would be no point in searching for Tamlen." The keeper said, tiredness shimmering though her voice as she spoke. "It would only cost us more of our own. That is why you need to leave. We cannot watch you die, knowing that there is a way to cure you."

Hearing these words, Selyna closed her eyes and blew out a sigh. Would Tamlen truly be lost? What if he wasn't? What if he was just as sick as she had been? He would never be able to recover on his own! ...But what if she would search for him? Would more of her brethren and sisters fall from the taint? Would she herself fall? Tamlen would never forgive himself if she would die while searching for him! And what would Ashalle do if she was to die? "Ma nuvenim, Keeper." The she-elf responded eventually after a few moments of silence before turning to the Grey Warden. "I accept your offer, shemlen."

oOo

"Drink this." Duncan said as he offered her a small cup. _'Is he trying to poison me?' _Selyna wondered as she stared at his outstretched hands suspiciously. He would not have a point in poisoning her, right? She was to become a Grey Warden...and apparently there was currently a huge shortage of them. Killing her would not help him, right? Or would it? As she was still pondering on what to do, Duncan seemed to have figured out exactly what was going on inside her head. "It's just tea. You do not have to worry." The warden responded, letting out a small chuckle after he was done speaking.

Finally deciding that it could not harm her anymore than the taint would, Selyna took the cup. Though she couldn't help to watch the green substance within the cup with careful eyes. It did not take long before the colored water began to show the vague lines of her reflection. The corner of her mouth twisted slightly upward when she thought back to the conversation between Fenarel and Tamlen she had 'accidentally' overheard.

"_How do you mean you don't know? Have you ever looked at her?" When she had first picked up the sound of Feneral's whisper she couldn't help but to listen in. After all, curiousness was a thing elves were well known of. Like it always did with most younger elves, her curiosity had won it over her respect for privacy. It hadn't been long before Selyna had decided to stick around for the end of this conversation. She was wondering who they were talking about. _"S_oft features, pale skin, high cheekbones, full lips, beautiful large teal-colored eyes and long wavy red hair...Did you noticed her wearing that silver hairclip I gave her last year? It shows off her ears perfectly. How can you not see this, she's amazing!" The elf Fenarel described had sounded very familiar in her eyes, though Selyna wasn't quite able to figure out why._

_Soon Fenarel's voice was replaced by Tamlen's. His voice sounded a bit awkward and uncomfortable, unlike Fenarel's which had sounded like he was speaking from out his personal dreamworld. "Well I have eyes..." He responded slowly. "...If that's what you mean."_

_The conversation about the mystery person went onward as Selyna tried to move around the two. Maybe to get a chance to hear their voices more clearly, or maybe she just tried to leave for she had no idea of who they were talking about. Which of these two truly applied to her current situation was a thing she did not even know for sure. "You're a lucky man for that she wishes to be around you so much." Fenarel's voice sounded again, though this time it had dropped down a few tones. "She won't even go out hunting alone with me." It was that moment Tamlen suddenly twisted around, like he knew that Selyna had been standing there. Of course with her stealth it wasn't possible for him to actually see her, but had she decided to leave before he went out looking anyway..._

Now this time seemed so long ago, even if it could never have been more than a few days. Back then she hadn't understood who they were talking about, but now she had a pretty good perception. It hadn't surprised her that Fenarel - in his description of her - hadn't mentioned her vallaslin at all. That was probably just because it was almost the same as Tamlen's, except the fact that she did not had any curls on her cheeks or mouthcorners but instead had added an extra stripe on her nose bridge.

The day that Ashalle had pronounced that Fenarel should be her mate Selyna hadn't even thought about twice before she ran away. Tamlen had already known because Fenarel himself had told it him... even before Ashalle had told _her_! For some reason he had left camp right after that, Selyna had only found him after she'd left too. That was when they had found the shemlens. That's when the trouble had started.

Selyna gritted her teeth as she threw away the cup, hearing it shatter against a tree trunk not too far away. Duncan looked up in surprise, but when his lips moved she couldn't hear a single sound. Since they had left the camp she hadn't spoken a single word. And now she couldn't even look at her own reflection. Only because it reminded her of _him_. Urgh, why hadn't she searched for him? _He _would have searched if she was the one that had gone missing!

oOo

When they had arrived at Ostagar the human king had personally welcomed them. He had sounded like a very cheer and - maybe a bit too - optimistic man, who had even bothered it to speak to those who were considered as 'lower life forms' by his people and probably himself too. An elf. But what was she supposed to do? Feel honored? Surely not. Why would she feel honored by words of a shemlen King? It had been partly because of this thought that she had not responded to any of his words, though that was not the main reason behind her silence. Not too long ago Selyna had noticed that the taint was affecting her behavior. The whispers had became louder, their song became clearer once more. Sometimes was even able to understand a few of the spoken words, even if they seemed to be spoken in that foreign language.

_kill... slice... flay... shatter... crush... kill... _

The words she was able to understand were all but reassuring. At moments like this, when the voices became louder, she could do nothing but to grit her teeth together. Praying that the voices would quiet down soon and leave her be. But they never did. Much later, Duncan had brought her to the Grey Warden camp. He had told her it was too late and there would be no use in starting the Joining now. They were to wait until sunrise before she and three others would go into the Korcari Wilds to collect the darkspawn blood and the treaties. When he had told her this Selyna had just nodded, still refusing to speak, not wanting to mistake her own words for those whispered words.

_kill... slay... slice... flay... shatter... crush... kill..._

Duncan introduced her to the other recruits, Daveth and Ser Jory and off course; Alistair, a very strange human and quite new to the Grey Wardens, who saw it as his eternal mission to make everyone laugh. Hoping to ease the tension of the upcoming Joining, probably. Duncan had sat with them when they were going to eat. When _they_ were going to eat. Selyna still didn't eat. She hadn't ate since they had left the dalish, since she became infected with the taint. Alistair and the others desperately tried to let her speak, laugh or even eat but nothing worked. She kept silent.

_kill... slay... destroy... slice... flay... shatter... crush... kill... _

At one point when Daveth tried for the twentieth time to flirt with her, she was almost happy to obey the whispers in her head. Though the she-elf had just been able to restrain herself. It was obvious that a few of the older Grey Wardens were giving her suspicious looks, one of them - a mage with hair as white as snow - even waved Alistair and Duncan over.

"I sense... something." he had whispered to them, making Selyna smiled to herself. Humans tend to forget about the trained ears of a Dalish elf. Even their whispers were loud enough for her to hear.

"It's true Duncan, I sense it too." Alistair replied, it seemed like something was making him terribly nervous. Or maybe it was _someone_. "But it's no darkspawn it feels...weaker?"

Selyna frowned as looked over to the speaking men. Somehow that one man seemed very familiar to her, but somehow her memory was too vague to remember it exactly. Still a bit uncertain over her own memory she stood up and walked over to the men, stopping in front of the white-haired mage. "An se lan'aan?"

The man took the effort to smile warmly at her, but even with this expression it was easy to see his words as lied ones. "What do you mean? I've already been inside this camp for more than three weeks."

"Lies." The fact that he understood her Elvish words had already surprised her, but it hadn't been enough to let her drop the topic.

"I've traveled for a long time." The mage responded, not visibly taking offense in her blunt response. Though the smile on his face didn't seemed to fade either as he continued. "Though I have not left this camp since my arrival three weeks ago. Maybe you have seen me before that or maybe you confuse me with another human. We all look alike, don't we?" When he added that last part, she could easily detect the chuckle that he let out. Was he trying to be funny?

His words left Selyna with only more questions, it was pretty obvious that the shem was hiding something even if he kept denying it himself. It did not surprise her that a shemlen would lie over such things, but why stick to the story when the lie is so obvious? Was the shem not aware that he was being so easy to see through? She was Dalish. The face of a shemlen _who lived_ after meeting her and her clan was a thing she'd never forget. Nevertheless, Selyna soon gave up on the conversation and headed back to the campfire, ignoring the questions and faces Ser Jory and Daveth bothered her with.

_kill... slay... destroy... slice... flay... shatter... crush... kill... feed..._

When the she-elf walked back to the fire Alistair could literally _feel_ the shivers going up and down his spine. What in the Maker's name was wrong with that woman? "Is she always like this?" He asked, focusing his gaze back on Duncan.

"I'm not sure..." The elder Grey-Warden admitted.

"How do you mean 'I'm not sure'? Don't you even talk to your new recruits nowadays?"

Duncan's eyebrows raised the slightest bit as he watched the younger Warden, not even bothering to respond to his question. "Alistair make sure that she gets a place to sleep. There are enough bedrolls in the large tent at the entrance of camp. Tell Ser Jory and Daveth to share a tent so she has one for her own." He said, watching as Alistair muttered his complains under his breath before taking off. Once he was out of earshot Duncan spoke once more, lowering his tone even more than before, it had been quite clear that Selyna had no problem listening in on their conversation before. "After you left I brought her back to her clan. The keeper there had been able to keep her alive, but the magic is slowly wearing off..."

The mage's mouth corners dropped slightly as he glanced over in the direction of the elf once more. "Luckily we can begin the Joining tomorrow. She will not suffer much longer."

"I agree." Duncan said, gesturing for the man to follow him as they walked away from the small camp made especially for the new recruits. "We have to make sure that nothing happens before the Joining. Assign an elder to watch her at all times; if none is available I will watch her myself." A few moments of silence passed wherein the two Wardens arrived at their own side of the camp. Finally feeling like he could speak freely, Duncan blew out a relieved sigh before asking the question he had already been planning to ask the moment he and Selyna had arrived in Ostagar. "...How is he?"

"A bit shaken, but at least he has survived." The man responded, the cheer smile back on his face once more. "The only problem is that we had to tie him to a chair the moment he woke up. Apparently he is not that fond of 'shemlen' taking him to a place he has never seen before against his will."

"Hm... I hopefully she can calm him down when she too no longer suffers from the taint."

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**Dictionaries**

**Elvish - English  
**Shemlen/Shem (SHEHM-lehn) - How Dalish refer to humans, literally 'quicklings'  
Da'len (dah-LEN) - Little child  
Aravel (AHR-ah-vehl) - Long journey, also the name of a vehicle used by the Dalish clans to travel overland  
Lethallan (leth-ah-LAHN)- Casual reference used for someone with whom one is familiar, used for females  
Lethallin (leth-ah-LEEN) - Casual reference used for someone with whom one is familiar, used for males  
Ma nuvenim (MAH noo-VAY-nin) - As you wish  
Vallaslin (vahl-ahs-LEEN) - Blood writing. The art of tattooing adopted by some elves to more prominently display their worship of the traditional elven pantheon  
An sa lan'aan (AHN SAH LAH-ahn) - How did you find this place?


	2. Welcome to the Wardens

**Author's Note: **I think Dragon Age has a terrible lack of Elvish words. So I decided to make some up. From now on, on the bottom of every chapter there will be a Elvish-English translator. So you guys can understand what I mean xD.  
***Update: **Oi, I'm writing fast today! Wrote the update for the first _and_ second chapter in one night. Alright as for the changes...I already added the dictionary in the previous chapter in the last update, but now I've updated this one too! Other changes: Minor. Nothing that affects the story greatly. I've added, deleted and changed a few elvish words and phrases so that they would be more accurate. Also, Selyna only uses her bow as a weapon and no daggers or something likewise.

**Disclaime****r:** I own nothing apart from my own fantasy and keyboard.

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**Welcome to the Wardens**

The Grey Wardens, a world full of sighing and headaches

"It is finished." The voice above her said. "Welcome."

'_Haven't I done this before?'_ Selyna wondered as her eyes opened and found the two shems hovering over her. One of them - Alistair - held out his hand, probably to help her up. Though the she-elf almost automatically ignored this hand and pulled herself up. A feeling of dizziness possessed her when she finally stood with both feet on the ground, only hearing half of what was said to her. _'Two massive headaches in five days time. This must be a personal record.'_

"Two more deaths." Alistair's voice announced sadly. Apparently she wasn't the only one with bad memories regarding her Joining, and soon the shemlen's next words confirmed her thoughts. "In my Joining only one of us died, but it was...horrible. I'm glad that at least one of you made it through."

While listening to his words she blew the air out of her mouth, attempting to find her balance back at the same time. Once this was accomplished Selyna tilted her head, obviously trying to pick up a noise or something...

But there was nothing.

Not a single sound in her head apart from her own thoughts. No voices. No whispers. No songs. She had finally found one of the things she had desired most these last few days; silence. Complete and utter silence. "How do you feel?" Apart from Duncan's voice then, who was apparently trying to start a conversation with her.

The she-elf shook her head - instantly finding that this wasn't a very wise thing to do with a possible concussion – before blinking a few times and responding to Duncan. "I've always wondered if there were things that would even hurt more than vallaslin." She said, rolling her head over her shoulders in an attempt to ease the nagging pain. "At least I have found _one_ now, seran ar."

Her response made Duncan chuckle, Alistair on the other hand only looked confused at hearing the elvish words. Though, Alistair being Alistair, him not knowing exactly what she had said did not stop him from commenting on her words. "That are probably more words than I've ever hear you say."

"Probably because you only know me for two vuninen- days." Selyna responded bitterly. "And most of that time I was either asleep, passed out or busy trying _not _to attack you shemlen on sight." Not that she ever had a problem with attacking (and even killing) shems before, but being surrounded by hundreds of trained shemlen warriors made it pretty much impossible for her to fight her way out without anyone to back her up. Not even mentioning the fact that Duncan probably wouldn't have appreciated it.

Duncan came between both before Alistair could even reply to this, placing a hand on his shoulder to stop the witty remarks that he knew were coming before focusing back on Selyna. "I'll recommend you to eat something. I've noticed that you haven't done this since we've left your clan and there is no use in starving yourself." He nodded at her. "When you are ready, I'll like you to accompany me to a meeting with the king."

"Ma nuvenim, Duncan."

"Very well." The older Grey Warden said as he gestured to his left. "The meeting is down the stairs to the west. Join me as soon as you are able." Once he was done speaking Duncan took off, leaving her and Alistair alone at the Joining place. Alistair - who didn't seemed to be very comfortable being alone with her - nervously gesturing for her to follow him before walking in the opposite direction as where Duncan had went.

At some point the two of them passed the kennel, at where Selyna suddenly stopped. The other Warden didn't seemed to notice this as he just kept walking, though the elf did not bothered paying too much attention to this. Alistair was clumsy and heavy on his feet. Tracking him down would be easier than tracking down a bear through snow. "Abelas, kennel master, I couldn't find your herb."

When the man heard her voice he looked up at her, though surprisingly there was a smile on his face. "It does not matter. Another elf brought me the flower you couldn't find. Though I want to thank you for muzzling the hound, I could have never done that myself."

Another elf? The only elves she had seen in camp were the flat-ears that brought the messages an luggage around here. Did any of those elves even had free time? Would their masters allow them to go on a search for a flower while there was still so much work to do? Or had it been another Grey Warden? But she hadn't seen any elves in camp... "Who was this elf?"

The Kennel Master shrugged carelessly, he was long glad that his hound was going to survive. To him it didn't matter _which_ 'knife-ear' had brought him the flower as long as he had one. "I don't remember seeing him before." He replied, looking at her one more time over his shoulder. "He looked a bit like you though."

He..? _He_ looked a bit like her..? How exactly? Was the human trying to offend her by saying that she _looked_ like a man? If so then he was obviously lying. She was way to..._developed_ in some places to be mistaken for a man. Or was he speaking about something else? Was there another Dalish in the camp? "He looked...like me?"

"Yes!" The man said, seeming utterly convinced of his own words. "He he tattoos that look a bit like yours on his face, and his armor looked somewhat the same too."

Eh? But the only one with the- "Selyna!" Before she could finish this thought she felt someone pulling her arm and half-dragging over the camping place. "Better not wonder off on your own, you'll be late for your meeting with the king!" The owner of the arm that dragged her around said, Alistair. "...that will probably upset him, maybe he start crying. You'll feel bad..." He smiled, flinging a piece of bread over his shoulder - which she caught easily - before continuing. "and well, it won't be a pretty sight."

oOo

"What?" Alistair almost yelled after he had heard Duncan's announcement. Selyna did not doubt the fact that the people – even if they were human – on the other side of camp would have been able to hear the ex-templar's outburst too. "I won't be in the battle?"

Duncan's voice however was calm and contained, nothing like the voice of the younger Warden. "This is by the king's personal request, Alistair." He repeated once more. "If the beacon is not lit, Teyrn Loghain's men won't know when to charge."

"So he needs two Grey Wardens standing up there holding the torch? Just in case, right?"

Selyna in her had long decided not to get herself involved in this discussion, instead munching on the last piece of bread Alistair had given her. Her thoughts were focused on other things... Mainly on what the kennel master had said to her. Duncan had assured her that there was no other Dalish Grey Wardens anywhere in Fereldan, yet no city elf wore marks that were anywhere like the marks of her vallaslin. If the marks where the kennel master had been talking about were indeed somewhat like hers then the bearer would honor Andruil, the goddess of the hunt with their vallaslin. The only elves she knew who wore this vallaslin were she herself, Keeper Zathrian and...

Once again, her thoughts were interrupted when she heard a heavy sigh coming from Alistair's direction. "I get it. I get it." He said, suddenly sounding overly tired. "But just so you know, if the king ever asks me to put on a dress and dance the Remigold, I'm drawing the line. Darkspawn or no."

Shrugging absently, Selyna turned to look at the strange human, half wondering whether or not he was being serious. "I don't know...it could be a great distraction."

"Me shimmying down the darkspawn line?"Alistair chuckled "Sure. We could kill them while they fall down laughing."

Now it was Duncan's time to let out a desperate sigh as he watched the two junior wardens. "The tower is on the other side of the gorge from the king's camp, the way we came when we arrived. You'll need to cross the gorge and up to the tower entrance. From the top, you'll overlook the entire valley." His gaze turned to Alistair. "We will signal you when the time is right, I trust you to recognize the signal when you see it."

Feeling that Duncan was done speaking, Selyna nodded. This was all she needed to know. She didn't felt much for fighting a human war, the fact that she wouldn't be the one fighting did not meant much to her. If Alistair hadn't spoken up then, she would already have left. "Can we join the battle afterwards?" The ex-templar asked, extinguishing Selyna's hopes for a quick start.

"Stay with the teyrn's men and guard the tower. If you are needed, we will send word." Duncan replied before his voice darkened. "But watch out, even the best-laid plans go awry, so do what you must. I trust you both."

"Just not enough to actually let us fight with the rest of you."

Alistair's words caused Duncan to chuckle once again, before he took the task on him of shushing down the battle-eager Warden. "There will be plenty of battles, Alistair. Be patient." Just as he had finished this sentence a horn sounded from the east side of the camp, alerting all army members and Wardens to take their positions. "Now I must join the others. From here, you two are on your own." He said, giving them both a reassuring smile. "Remember, you are both Grey Wardens. I expect you to be worthy of this title."

Nodding once again, Selyna was about to walk away (once again) when Alistair spoke up (once again)... "Duncan," He said, making the elder Grey Warden (who too had already began making his way to wherever he needed to be) to stop and look over his shoulder so that Alistair could continue. "May the maker watch over you."

'_What? This 'maker' thing again?'_ The dalish could only just suppress a sigh as she waited for Duncan to respond to this useless time drawing. "May he watch over us all."

Both of them were now looking at her, like they were waiting for her to say something too. And it seemed like they truly were planning to wait until she would. Therefore Selyna took a brief moment to cast her eyes at the starry night sky above them, making a short prayer of her own. "Mythal,enansal se in reth."

oOo

'_Apparently that so called 'maker' is deaf.' _Selyna thought frustrated as she ducked away from the rusty blade of another hurlock. They hadn't even been _inside_ the tower before the darkspawn already had surrounded them. Thanks to the help of a circle mage (flat-ear) and a tower guard (shem) they had managed to deal with all the darkspawn outside before hearing that even more of the foul creatures had made their way up in the tower. Together the four of them had already managed to clear off most floors, but when they were about to climb the last staircase up to the roof they had found themselves flanked by a small troop of hurlocks.

Again a pair of blades neared her, and if it hadn't been because of her flexibility the she-elf would be another head smaller than she already was. Smacking the hurlock's legs out from underneath him with a swing of her longbow, Selyna quickly nocked an arrow ready and sent it off in the direction of the creature's head. From out her eyecorner she saw Alistair beheading the last of the troop, before exchanging a questioning look with her. Nodding confirmable, the elf placed a new arrow on her bow before they both rushed upstairs. The mage followed shortly behind them, suffering from a few light wounds. But he still was better off than the tower guard, who they had lost somewhere in the last attack.

The door upstairs was locked, though even before Selyna could _think_ about getting her lockpicks out Alistair had already dealt with the lock - by using his sword. "Quickly!" Alistair yelled over the sounds of the ongoing battle outside as they moved to the center of the tower. "We have to light the beacon before-" He suddenly felt silent when a deafening roar sounded not far behind them, directing their gazes to a gigantic ogre. The creature was feasting upon the corpse of a human soldier, coloring the ground with dark red stains.

Not long after they had noticed it the ogre also noticed them and threw the headless corpse away like it was nothing before charging in their direction. _'This better work.' _Selyna thought just before lifting her bow and aiming for one of the creature's eyes...

oOo

"Ow..." When Selyna opened her eyes she found them staring at a foreign wooden ceiling, just like she found herself in an oddly soft mattress. _In _is the right word, the fabric was so soft that it seemed to be trying to suck her up whole. How could shemlen sleep on this? Why couldn't they just sleep on the ground, or bedrolls like every normal being? Wanting to get away from the strange and scary feeling of the mattress, the she-elf sat up. Though it took her quite the effort to do this _without _rolling over to the side and puke like her stomach wanted to do so badly. Like almost every day since she had met the Grey Warden called Duncan, she had woken up with a brand new headache which was trying it's hardest to kill her. _'And this headache is even worse than the two before...I just love my life.' _Oh look, even her thoughts were filled with sarcasm.

"Ah, your eyes finally open." A feminine voice sounded from somewhere on her left. "Mother shall be pleased." It was relatively easy to recognize the voice as the one of the girl of the wilds, Morrigan. After Selyna, Alistair, Ser Jory and Daveth had gone into the wilds to prepare for their Joining by collecting darkspawn blood, Morrigan had helped them by leading the foursome to her mother who possessed the treaties they also had been searching for. Daveth had told them that Morrigan was a so called 'witch of the wilds' and...and there was also something about them turning into frogs...or did the so called witch turn into a frog? "You were injured. Mother rescued you." Morrigan said, regaining her attention as well as a questioning look. "What? Do you not remember?"

It was very obvious that Selyna did not have a clue where Morrigan was talking about, the shake of her head only added to this, therefore the witch decided to expandher explanation a bit. "The man who was to respond to your signal quit the field. Those he abandoned were massacred." The woman let out an annoyed sigh as she looked at something through the window of the small hut. "Your friend...he's not talking it well."

A frown appeared on her face as the she-elf followed Morrigan's gaze, finding Alistair on the end of it. "...My friend?" She questioned as she turned her eyes away from the strawberry-blond male and focused them back on Morrigan. "You mean the shemlen?"

"The suspicious, dim-witted one who was with you before, yes." The woman noted, not showing any emotions as she said this, though to Selyna the description was detailed enough. No doubt it was Alistair. "As you can see, he is outside by the fire with mother. She asked to see you when you awoke." Morrigan gestured towards s large wooden crate at the foot of the bed. "You will find you armor and weapons in there."

"Ma serannas, Morrigan."

The woman looked uncomfortable with her thanks, but at least this was a sign that she understood her words. "Well, I'm no healer mother did all the work." Morrigan replied after a few moments of uncomfortable silence wherein Selyna putted on the green colored dalish armor.

A relieved -but very,_ very - _small smile appeared on Selyna's face once she was fully dressed in the soft fabric armor. Maybe it did not offer her much protection, but it was enough for a hunter and markswoman. "I will go then." The she elf announced after strapping her hunter's knife to her thigh, throwing her quiver over her shoulder and picking up her dalish longbow.

As the door moved shut behind her, Selyna was just able to hear the few last words that were spoken by Morrigan. "Alright. Then I will stay and make something to eat." Though she wasn't entirely sure if the shemlen was being sarcastic or not.

"See?" A worn and cracking voice - though at the same time somehow also filled with an unfamiliar darkness and power - asked when she had taken no more than three steps outside. "Here is your fellow Grey Warden. You worry too much, young man."

It took Alistair about half a second to spin around, relief showing on his face. "You..." He said, his voice sounding grim. "You're alive! I thought you were dead for sure." Selyna figured that he was chuckling, but it was strange. Like he was happy, relieved, sad and angry at the same time. Shemlen emotions were so hard to read... "This doesn't seem real." Alistair continued, his voice once again dark and grim. "If it weren't for Morrigan's mother, we'd be dead on top of that tower."

"Don't talk about me as if I'm not present, lad." The crackling voice sounded again. This time, Selyna's eyes followed the sound and ended up staring at an old looking woman, a shemlen. But even with this old appearance her words and charisma were those of a person who knows great power...She had to be careful with this human.

"I-I didn't mean..." Alistair stuttered nervously. "...b-b-but what do we call you? You never told us your n-name."

"Names are pretty, but useless. The Chasind folk call me Flemeth, I suppose it will do."

Selyna's head tilted almost automatically as she heard this name. "Asha'belannar..." At least she now had a _very_ good reason not to annoy the old woman nor Morrigan, if this really was the Asha'belannar from the stories then she possessed great powers. On the background she heard Alistair saying something about the Witch of the Wilds, apparently Daveth wasn't that stupid after all. As soon as she noticed a pause in the conversation between Alistair and the witch, Selyna jumped in. "We need to stop this Blight."

Though Alistair immediately changed subject. "We need to bring Loghain to judgment! Why would he do this?"

"Now that is a good question." Flemeth noticed "Men's hearts hold shadows darker than any tainted creature. Perhaps he believed the Blight is an army he can outmaneuver. Perhaps he does not see that the evil behind it is the true threat."

"The Archdemon."

Selyna's lips parted to let out a sigh as a frown appeared on her forehead. If they needed to slay the Archdemon they couldn't possibly do this on their own. In all the stories that keeper Marethari had told about the Grey Wardens, they had needed the command over a whole army only in order to get even close enough to the Archdemon to fight it. "We cannot possibly do this on our own…How about the ancient treaties? Grey Wardens can demand aid from dwarves, mages and elves during a Blight, right?"

As soon as he had heard her plan, a smile appeared on Alistair's lips. "Of course! And I'm sure Arl Eamon would help us too! He's a good man and he wasn't at Ostagar so he still has all his armies."

"I may be old, but dwarves, elves, mages, this Arl Eamon, and who knows what else, this sounds like an army to me."

"So can we do this?" The other Warden looked at her, "Go to Redcliffe and these other places and... build an army?"

"Why not? Isn't that what Grey Wardens do?" The elf could have sworn she saw Flemeth smile at her tone-less words, but the gesture was over almost as soon as it had appeared. Instead, the old witch asked them if they were ready, truly ready, to be Grey Wardens. "Yes." Selyna replied, knowing that hesitating would not do any good. Especially not if hesitating would only bring the anger of an extremely dangerous witch over you. For now, she just wanted to get out of this place. As soon as she could. "Ma serannas, Asha'belanna"

"Good." The human replied, for some reason sounding oddly satisfied, before continuing. "Now, before you go there are yet two things more I can offer you."

It was exactly that moment when Morrigan walked out of the hut and addressed her mother. Speak of the devil... "The stew is bubbling, Mother dear. Shall we have two guests for the eve..." She let her voice trail for a short moment wherein she directed her cold stare at the two Wardens "...or none?"

"The Grey Wardens are leaving shortly, girl. And you will be joining them."

"Such a shame-" Yes... these words were what Morrigan _had_ been planning to say. But as soon as she truly realized the meaning of the words her mother had just spoken, her eyes suddenly widened till they seemed to be twice the original size. This big-eyed stare was directed at her mother, as she asked the woman that same question as Selyna had asked Duncan and her Keeper only a few days ago. "**WHAT?"**

"You heard me girl. The last time I looked, you had ears." Flemeth noticed, her words flowing over into a dry and shallow laugh as soon as they were spoken.

"Have _I_ no say in this?"

"You have been itching to get out of the Wilds for years. Here is your chance. As for you, Wardens, consider this repayment for your lives."

It was best to stay out of an argument between family, or at least that was what Selyna had been taught ever since birth. This time however, there seemed to be someone asking for her opinion. Or at least... a 'concerned mother' was asking her to protect her 'beloved daughter'. Ahh; yes, the dalish was very well aware of the fact that neither Morrigan nor her mother could be described as being either of these things. But somewhere she suspected that, when she would refuse to take Morrigan with her, she would be forced to deal with one hell of an angry Flemmeth. Not good. "Very well, Asha'belanna we will take her with us."

"Mother... this is not how I wanted this. I am not even ready-"

"You must be ready." Flemeth interrupted her daughter's complains. "Alone, the three of them must unite Ferelden against the darkspawn." Selyna frowned, allowing herself to repeat Flemeth's words over in her head. '_Three?' _Could humans not count? Only Alistair and she herself were left. Unless... "They need you, Morrigan." Flemeth continued "Without you, they will surely fail, and all will perish under the Blight. Even I."

"I..." At that point Flemeth knew that she had won, and Morrigan knew it as well. "...understand."

"And you, Wardens? Do you understand?" The old woman asked as she directed herself once again in their direction. "I give you that which I value above all in this world. I do this because you must succeed."

"We understand."

Morrigan let out a heavy sigh, "Allow me to get my things, if you please." When Morrigan had once again disappeared inside the wooden hut Flemeth addressed Selyna. "I've managed to save another Warden, you need to take him with you. He's useful for getting firewood, but apart from that I have no use for him here." Flemeth turned around while Alistair and Selyna curiously looked around her to see their fellow Grey Warden.

A short few minutes passed before a sandy-blond elf came around the corner of the wooden hut, carrying a large pile of firewood. "I've brought the wood you'd asked for, Asha'belanna" the elf muttered, but froze abruptly when he saw the two Wardens looking at him. "...Selyna?"

"T-Tamlen?"

* * *

**Dictionaries**

**Elvish-English:  
**Sa (SAH) - One  
Vallaslin (vahl-ahs-LEEN) - Blood writing. The art of tattooing adopted by some elves to more prominently display their worship of the traditional elven pantheon.  
Seran ar (SEHR-ahn AHR) - Lucky me  
Vuninen (VOO-nihn-ehn) - Days  
Ma nuvenim (mah noo-VEY-nihn) - As you wish/I will do as you say  
Shemlen/Shem (SHEHM-lehn) - Literally "quick children", the original name of the elves for the human race  
Ma serannas (ma SEHR-ahn-ahs) - Essentially means "thank you"  
Abelas (ah-BEY-lahs) - Sorry  
Enansal se in reth (En-AHN-sahl seh een REHTH) - bless us with safety, Mythal is the Dalish goddess of protection  
Asha'belannar (AH-shah BELL-ahn-ahr) - The Woman of Many Years, how the Dalish refer to Flemeth

**End Note:** Well I hope you guys like this chapter. Reviews are always welcome ;)


	3. Forest talk

**Author's notes: **Next chapter is up n,n. Our hero's fight some stuff out, fight a few darkspawn and we finally meet our noisiest character (Oghren aside), the Mabari hound! I'm not really good with writhing fighting scenes but I think this one worked out quite well. Let me know what you think... Elvish-English translations are on the bottom. I didn't read this chapter six times over, like I always do but I'm feeling lazy today. So forgive me for the few mistakes ;)  
*** Updated: **Ahh.. lucky me has been sick for about a month so the story has been delayed a bit. However: Yes, Yes! This chapter has now been updated too! The changes? Not so much... It's a lot longer and more literate though, and the two Dalish are a bit less friendly with their human companions.

**Disclaimer: **I own nothing except for my keyboard and my own fantasy, though I desperately want to own Tamlen ^^

* * *

**Forest talk**

The Grey Wardens, a world full of annoying comments

"How do you know her?" Ailstair asked as he tried to keep up with the high tempo of the elf. Strange, even with his longer legs it took him more effort to keep up with Tamlen. But still, he was going through greater pains trying to keep up with Selyna. Maybe she had been right...his armor _was_ slowing him down.

"I don't need to answer you, shemlen." Tamlen's blunt reply came smoothly, disdain easily recognized from the tone alone.

Why in the maker's name hadn't it been Duncan coming around that corner of Flemeth's hut? It would have made the mission ahead way easier, having a great man and leader in their party. The witch had been able to save both him, Selyna _and_ Tamlen... why not one more? It probably was too much to ask. Duncan was gone and at this moment, all kinds of help could be of use to them. Even another Dalish elf, of who Alistair had no idea that he actually was an official Grey Warden. Duncan had said that Selyna was the first dalish to join the grey wardens in a long time... though this Tamlen guy apparently was one too. It even got stranger: as Selyna and Tamlen already seemed to know each other!

How he had known this? Well, _that_ in fact, hadn't been very hard to guess. First of all, the two elves had known each other's names and secondly, both of the elves seemed to be completely flabbergasted to see the other.

Selyna had been the first one to recover from this state. After a few moments of silence, she had suddenly walked over to the elf and punched him so hard in the face that it had honestly surprised Alistair she hadn't broke his nose. As soon as Tamlen was back on his feet the she-elf had started yelling at him in a strange language that Alistair himself hadn't been able to understand. Tamlen on the other hand seemed to understand every word she spoke, but only kept repeating something that sounded mostly like ahbeylahs for about thirty minutes before Morrigan had come out of the hut and they had left. Much to his surprised Tamlen had followed them without a single complain - after Flemeth had healed the wound on his nose of course.

But now, Alistair pretty much wanted to know what had been going on between the two elves...and if Tamlen was not going to answer his questions, then maybe Selyna would. Quickening his steps to a quick jog, Alistair eventually caught up with her. And - as soon as he was able to breathe normally again - he could even ask her the question he had been dying to hear the answer to. "So... how do you know him? Tamlen?"

No answer.

"Oh, come on." He pressed. "You must be mad at him for some reason."

Still no answer.

"You are not planning to tell me, are you?"

"Din" Well, at least it was an answer. Though Alistair could not do much more than to frown his brow after hearing it. _'What did that mean? Yes? No? Is it a curse? Or is she telling me to shut up? Agh! Why can't she speak a normal language like everyone else in Ferelden?' _His extreme lack of patience made Alistair decide to try to get an answer out of the Dalish elf once more, this time blocking her way by moving in front of her - forcing her to stop.

"Could you tell me why you refuse to answer that question then?" Now that her road was blocked, the red-haired elf suddenly looked up, her gold colored eyes glaring daggers at him. "Please...?" Alistair tried once more, simultaneously suppressed a cold shiver as he stared back in the in-human colored eyes.

Finally Selyna opened her mouth to speak more than just one word. Though he did not know for sure if these words were better than the prior silence. "Ar'din nuvenin na'din, shemlen." The response to these words? A simple sigh from the templar's side. '_Okay, I don't understand a word of what she just told me but by the tone of it I guess it's a threat.' _Alistair noted mentally before suddenly being forced to jump backwards when an arrow pierced the ground he had been standing on. '_Yep, definitely a theat.' _He decided, not paying much attention to Selyna as she walked past him but instead focusing his angry glare at the other elf who came to collect his arrow.

"The next one is between your eyes, shemlen." Tamlen said, pulling the arrow out of the ground with what seemed to be no effort at all and placing it back in his quiver before continuing his walk.

Only a short moment after Tamlen had passed him as well Alistair heard the unmistakable sounds of a chuckling _witch_ of the wilds, somewhere not too far behind him. "What?" he asked, sounding both annoyed, offended and a little bit distressed all in that one word.

Morrigan of course took the time to chuckle yet another time before coming with an answer of herself. "'Tis curious that you travel with elves, yet you know so little about them."

"Only because I can't understand half of what they're saying." Alistair grumbled falling into pass with Morrigan. Maybe the witch was annoying and evil, but so far she'd spoken more to him than the two elves...and at least she spoke in a language he could completely understand. "Which language do they speak?" He wondered, pausing for a short moment before adding another question. "...and why do they keep calling me shemlen?"

"You mean..." A devilish grin began to appear on Morrigan's face. "You mean you do not know?"

"If I did, would I ask?"

"I suppose not." The witch replied shortly. "They speak Elvish of course, shemlen means human."

Hearing this, a frown began to appear on Alistair's forehead. "Why don't they call you a shemlen then?"

"Maybe they respect me more than they respect you. Maybe they do not ought me to be human. Maybe 'tis because they are afraid of my mother's magic, who knows?"

The templar just rolled his eyes at this before focusing them back on the two elves who were now walking together, quite a few feet ahead of them, through the forest. "Did she just told Tamlen to shoot me?"

oOo

"Stupid shem." Selyna muttered under her breath when she heard Alistair and Morrigan talking behind her. The she-elf was already growing sick of the company she had to deal with. Alistair's unfamiliarity with the Dalish - and pretty much _anything_ that had to do with elves - was pissing her off greatly, not mentioning the fact that he was a shemlen. Morrigan was only here because Asha'belannar (Or 'Flemeth', as she had called herself) had wanted this and neither Morrigan nor Selyna had seemed to like the fact that it had come to that. And Tamlen... Well, he was probably the worst of all. She _knew_ that he had been at Ostagar, _he_ was the Dalish elf the kennel master had been talking about. If he could take care of a dog, then why couldn't he stop by to tell her that she did not had to worry? That he had not died? That he wasn't eaten by darkspawn or worse? That she could stop blaming herself for his death?

When she had seen him at Flemeth's hut, she had felt a wave of relieve coming over her. Though this wave was quickly replaced by anger and frustration, along with a slight bit of- _"Did she just told Tamlen to shoot me?"_ When she heard Alistair asking this, Selyna peeked her ears. Maybe t would be convenient to know just _how_ much the witch could understand of what she and Tamlen were saying.

"_I think that..." _Morrigan replied _"...she told you that she would be glad to shoot you. But that she was feeling generous and would let her friend try first."_ A grin appeared on the she-elf's face, both at this false translation as at the fact that Morrigan probably had not understand a word of what she'd said.

Alistair on the other hand did not seemed to be too happy with the witch's translation. _"You're joking, right?"_ He asked, panic shimmering though his voice. _"That would be way to many words for what she said to me, right? Right?" _Morrigan just chuckled, and Selyna - unconsciously - did the same.

"That is a sound I have not heard in a while." Oh, great... Just what she needed. Looking over to her right side, she noticed Tamlen walking there. Though when their eyes met she instantly turned her head away from him. "Oh come on Lethallan!" Tamlen groaned. "You're being extremely unreasonable."

A sudden shiver crawling up her spine kept her from responding, and by the looks of it Tamlen was feeling it too. The shiver ended in a nagging feeling in the back of her head, making her feel even more uneased then she already was. It was the same feeling that she had got when they had approached that mirror a few days earlier - when this whole mess had started. "Darkspawn."

Tamlen just nodded in agreement, deciding to drop the argument between them for now and focus on more important matters. "Is Assan nearby?" He asked as he drew his bow.

"Din, I told her to hide." Selyna said, mimicking her clanmate's action and drawing her bow as well. "...I figured that a white wolf would be something that falls under the 'shoot on sight' category with shemlens."

"Good" Was Tamlen's only response as they waited for the humans to catch up with them, which they did after only a few minutes.

"Where are they?" These words were barely spoken before they heard a shout from somewhere ahead of them, followed by a commotion of grunting and - finally - the clashing of weapons. "By the sound of it, I would say...right ahead!" Selyna responded, dashing away towards the noise while her hands effortlessly selected an arrow from her quiver and nocked it to the string of her dalish longbow. Tamlen sprinted next to her, the humans a good few feet behind them.

Suddenly, they burst clear of the trees into a wide meadow. When they finally came to a halt Tamlen's right hand instinctively reached for an arrow from his quiver and nocked it ready. A large fig tree grew in the middle of the cleared ground. At the base of it there was one wagon and a small refugee camp. A wisp of smoke still curled from the fireplace and a few packs and bedrolls were placed besides it.

The camp was quite peaceful. The ground however was covered in blood, both from killed refugees as from the darkspawn they had slain. But even with all their effort, eleven hurlocks were still standing and surrounding a single man, who had his back against the wagon he so desperately tried to protect. For the moment his long sword held them at bay, but the hurlocks were in greater numbers, soon he would be dead and he knew it.

"Okay...we've found...them...what...now..?" Alistair asked, breathing heavy from the long run.

"Now we ask them friendly if they would be kind enough to drop their weapons and leave the shem alone." Tamlen replied sarcastically as both of the elves drew the arrow they had on their stings.

"...You're not serious, are you?"

Tamlen rolled his eyes in response and only a second later, Selyna's arrow buried itself inside one of the hurlock's heart. As the creature sank to his knees, the other now alarmed darkspawn charged into the direction of the greater thread. The old man could always be dealt with later. Selyna's second shot dropped the left-hand Hurlock while Tamlen simultaneously shot two on the right. Morrigan's additionwas a bolt of lightning that was shot towards the darkspawn group, knocking them all on the ground. Three of the hurlocks stood up again, while the other four stayed motionless on the ground. They heard a hoarse grunt of pain as Selyna's third shot buried itself in the leg of the middle creature, though it was quickly silenced by another arrow between his eyes. Tamlen in his place sent two arrows flying at the closest hurlock, both penetrating it's skull, while Alistair ran his sword though the third one - who was now terrifyingly close. With a final grunting shriek, the last hurlock fell dead on the grass.

Though there was not much time for the foursome to celebrate their victory, as they soon heard another shout coming from the man they had just saved. The greater threat was gone, but the man seemed to believe otherwise. With his long sword in one hand he tried to scare away a rather large mabari hound, who was happily wagging his tail in front of the panicked man. "Stand back foul creature! I will not listen to your songs! Stand back, I order you!" The hound let out a cheerful bark, causing the man to scream in fear...again.

"'Tis obvious the man is insane." Morrigan noted while their group neared the scared refugee, careful not to scare him too much. As they got closer they noticed the man having a blotchy look and a sickly tone to his skin, not mentioning the fact that he was bleeding heavily from several injuries all over his body. When the man looked up at him they easily noticed the dark circles under his eyes.

"Not insane, tainted." Alistair noted sadly.

"You!" The man pointed towards Alistair. "You're like them! Look!" He gestured to the foursome and the hound with his sword. "Four of their minions are trying to silence me! But I will not listen! The world has the right to know!" The man kept yelling like he needed to convince a dozen of people, even when there was no one near them except from the three wardens, Morrigan and...the dog.

Alistair was the first to come up with a idea, which basically involved bandaging up the man and placing him under the care of the first chantry they would find on their way. Though this was not taken as the best suggestion by some of the other group members.

"No! Don't come near me! Stand back!" The man walked even further back when Alistair got a few steps closer him. Too bad for him there was a branch not too far behind his feet, tripping him and making him fall back into the wagon. This did not silence the man however. "Stay away! I won't listen to any of your-" Too bad that his sentence would forever be left unfinished as an arrow suddenly took the man in the throat and, at such short range, the arrow tore clean through.

Stepping down from the wagon once again, Alistair's furious eyes met Selyna's, as the she-elf slowly lowered her bow. "Does the word 'insane' means anything to you?" He questioned, but when she only shrugged in response he casted his eyes to the sky. "Maker, remind me not to get injured anywhere near you."

"Some faiths are worse than death."

"Oh, and how would you know that this is one of them? I know mercy but this—" Silenced by the same furious look from Selyna as he had given her previously, the templar could only watched surprised as she suddenly let out an annoyed grunt before storming off.

The explanation for this was even more surprising, as it came from Tamlen as he quickly followed behind his clanmate. "Selyna and I were both tainted before we became Grey Wardens, seth'lin."

A big-eyed stare was directed at Morrigan as the two humans followed after their elven companions along with a few unsure words. "Was _that_ an insult? It was, wasn't it?" Though the only thing the witch did was laugh.

oOo

"Was I wrong when I killed that shem?"

When he heard this question, Tamlen looked up in surprise. After the group had left the meadow behind them none of them had felt the urge to talk. Mostly because no one was feeling much for another fight with a certain red-haired elf. His hesitating hand sought her shoulder, lightly placing itself on it in the hope that the gesture would calm her down a bit. "You and I both know that it was for the best, lethallan." Yes, this were his words though the only thing Selyna did in response was turning her head away, shaking his hand off her shoulder. "Fine. You're angry, I get it. But I truly did not know you were at Ostagar."

Blowing the air out of his mouth, the elf directed his gaze to the ground. "When I touched that mirror... the only thing I remember after that is that you fell. After that I... think I passed out. When I woke up I was at Ostagar, there were voices. They told me to do things, but I didn't listen and that made them angry, so they hurted me until I would. I wanted to go back to the clan but the man who brought me there wouldn't let me go."

Tamlen smiled sadly. "He had to tie me up to make sure I didn't escape. Later they brought me some sort of cup. They told me that if I ever wanted to be able to see my clan again I had to drink from it. So I did. I remember that I was in intense pain, and dreams. But when I woke up the voices were gone. I asked the man where you was, if you were sick like I was. He told me you were probably dead-"

"-The keeper told me the same." Selyna responded, picking up the story where Tamlen had ended his. "I wanted to go back to the cave and look for you, but Duncan said there would be no point in it. There would be no chance for me in finding anything of you, not even your-" When her words trailed off Tamlen looked back at his smaller companion, seeing that she faked a smile for him before continuing the rest of her story. "The rest you can pretty much guess. Duncan took me to Ostagar on his horse. Then he made me drink that horrible liquid they made you drank too, I almost choked on it and then passed out. I lighted a giant torch -the shems called it a beacon- , saw some so called 'Teyrn' betray his king and was apparently rescued by a giant bird-shaped woman." They both laughed at the ridiculous twist she gave to the story, even though it was actually the truth. Stories of the strange life they suddenly had...

"Would you have believed any of this if someone had told you it a few days ago..?" Tamlen wondered after both of them had finally stopped laughing. Or at least had calmed down enough to be able to speak properly.

"That our lives would be saved by shemlen and we would be traveling with them to save 'their' land? Probably not." The she-elf responded, suddenly a lot more serious. "But remember me to hide next time you want to touch some mirror inside a cave we've never seen before, okay?"

"_Next_ time I will surely do that." he responded on the same serious tone, which eventually made both of them crack up once again.

"So you guys actually _can_ laugh?"

"When in the right company." Both elves responded simultaneously, the sudden stop of their laughter making it obvious that the human's presence had ruined the little fun they had been having.

Alistair smiled back nervously at to the two elves, not sure of what to do but to announce the reason he had decided to talk to the elves that apparently were angry with him again. "Well, your musical laughters are not the only reason I'd came up here." He noted before looking back down the road "I don't know if you have noticed but the hound is still following us." When they turned around they saw the dog walking –much to her displease– next to Morrigan. When he saw them stopping it ran towards Tamlen and sat down in front of him.

"I remember this dog." Tamlen said, kneeling down in front of the beast. "I think it's the one I saved back in Ostagar."

"I thought you were tied up?"

"Yes, I was. But one afternoon they said I could go outside for a few hours. There was this kennel master with a sick and muzzled dog who'd asked me about a flower that was needed create a cure." He looked back at the dog "I found the flower near my tent, but what is the mabari doing here..?"

A short moment passed wherein the Mabari hound took the time to award each member of the group with a big-eyed stare. One that obviously could be categorized as a begging gesture. It seemed to be wanting to stay. "I think he was out there looking for you." Alistair responded "He's... chosen you. Mabari are like that. They call it imprinting."

The word 'imprinting' wasn't even fully mentioned yet before Morrigan let out a groan. "Does this mean we're going to have this mangy beast following us about now? Wonderful." And before you are wondering; _yes_, the witch was being sarcastic.

"He's not mangy" Tamlen noted, a strange grin on his face that he obviously tried to hide while petting the dog on it's head. "Why not, he could be useful in battle just like Assan."

"He is going to need a name"

Tamlen seemed to agree with this and came up with a name surprisingly quickly. "Of course, how about... Adahlen?" The dog let out another happy bark which made Tamlen's smile a bit more obvious. "Adahlen it is."

"Who is Assan?" Alistair asked suddenly, clearly confused by the mention of the new name.

"My wolf of course." Selyna responded with a sly smirk. Her answer seemed to scare Alistair a bit - which she did not at all minded. She spoke with these words and tone for the same reason as Tamlen hided his smile. After all; they still did not trust humans as far as they could throw them. Which was – considering the height and weight difference between humans and elves – not very far.

"_You_ have a _wolf_?"

"Is that so strange?"

"He is not..." Alistair looked around nervously, seeming to look for something between the trees of the surrounding forest. "_Here_ right now, is he?" succeeding

"I can call _her_ if you want to." She closed her eyes in concentration, and a few seconds later a white wolf sat down next to her. "Aneth ara, Assan. Missed me?" she asked while stroking the wolf's throat.

"A Mabari dog and a white wolf. Are there any other dangerous animals following you I should know about?" Alistair asked with a smile.

"Only a brown bear and a giant spider." When she saw Alistair's frightened face she grinned "Don't worry I told them to stay with the clan to protect them."

Morrigan let out a desperate sigh, "How wonderful. If this whole stopping the blight doesn't work out, we can always start Ferelden's first zoo."

* * *

**End notes: **I hoped you guys liked this chapter, I'm already busy writhing the next one. And thanks for reading this, reviews are always welcome ^^

**Elvish-English translation: **

Abelas (ah-BEY-lahs) - Sorry  
Din (DEEN) - Not, here used as 'no'  
Ar'din nuvenin na'din. (ahr-DEEN noo-VHEY-nihn nah-deen) - I don't want to kill you.  
Lethallan (leth-ah-LAHN) - Casual reference used for someone with whom one is familiar, used for females  
Lethallin (leth-ah-LEEN) - Casual reference used for someone with whom one is familiar, used for males  
Assan (ah-SAHN) - Arrow (Name of Selyna's Wolf)  
Seth'lin (seth-LEEN) - Thin blood (insult)  
Shemlen/Shem (SHEHM-lehn) - Literally "quick children", the original name of the elves for the human race  
Aneth ara (AH-neth AH-rah): A greeting.


	4. Sleepless Nights

**Author's notes: **Today I'm sick . Not very good for me but maybe good for you because here is the next chapter! Many Elvish words in this one, translations are on the bottom. I hope you guys like this chapter and let me know what you think, Reviews are always welcome ^,^ I'm also updating the chapters 1,2,3 later today. There are no big changes, I'm just correcting some misspelled words.  
*** Update:** Uhm... lots of changes, but nothing that will differ the story too much.

**Disclaimer: **I own nothing, though I desperately want to own Tamlen

**Sleepless Nights**

The Grey Wardens, a world full of sleep deprivation

_WARNING  
Each Dalish is an expert archer, and apart from their regular weapons they carry two knives – one for throwing, and one for hunting. Dalish are also highly skilled at tracking, concealment and unseen movement. They can blend in to the colors of whatever landscape they find themselves in, whether a dappled forest glade or the shadows of a castle at night. They use dark magic in order to maintain their abilities. On no account should one go out and face one of the Dalish on their own._

Looking over the Orlesian book that had been given to him to read, Tamlen raised an eyebrow. "And _this_ is why shems fear us?" He wondered on a mocking tone while studying the text once again, allowing Selyna to read with him over his shoulder. "They seem perfectly able to think of harel myths about our talents without us having to go through the trouble of making them... Don't you think, lethallan?"

"Well, I feel flattered. Though they strangely missed the part of our bloodlust and unnatural beauty." Selyna noted sarcastically in return. "...the beauty part of course being used to attract lone human travelers and children on who we will later experiment our magic on." After the she-elf was done speaking she leaned forward a bit further, leaning on Tamlen's shoulder to support herself, and lifted the book with the fancy Orlesian letters from his hands.

The small group had arrived in Lothering earlier that day, starting their hospitable (not), pleasant (no) and short (that it was, actually) stay in the already doomed city with the oldest quest you could possibly ever complete; driving a bunch of bandits off a bridge. _Most_ people in the city seemed to be grateful about this, but by long not everyone. Some men send by that son-of-a-whore Loghain for example. Luckily these men had also proven to be no real trouble to deal with hadn't that chantry priest- Oh, sorry, their newest companion thanks to a certain ex-templar, gotten in the way of it. Both Leliana and Alistair had assured the elves that she had helped them in the fight, though the elves seemed to have a different opinion on this. Even worse, Alistair had volunteered to help the owner of Dane's Refuge - which was the name of the tavern they had been fighting in - to clean up the mess (Well actually 'volunteered' was not _quite_ the right word. Unfortunately, it could apparently be seen as their 'duty' to clean up after their fights... however, it soon became apparent that Morrigan and Leliana seemed to have think of such work as 'a men's job' while the two elves had simply refused to do any labor for a shem, so that Alistair ended up doing everything by himself) and the tavern owner was even nice enough to give them fresh supplies and the last free room if they promised to keep their future fights outside.

"So it's not true?" Leliana asked, catching the book as it was thrown back at her over the table with surprise ease- you know, for a chantry priest.

"No, it's true. Sadly."

"We DON'T use black magic!"

Finding his statement immediately roughly denied, Alistair bit the inside of his cheek. "Alright, maybe not all of it is true. But there are a few things that fit." This received him a both questioning and warning look from both elves, to which he responded by explaining his statement further. "Oh, don't look at me like that! I saw you two kill darkspawn with a single arrow like it was nothing. We've never gotten lost even once, so that part about tracking skills is probably also not entirely false and you..." He paused to look at Selyna. "...are sometimes _very_ hard to keep an eye on, even in battle."

"Of course it is! The clan-" Her words were abruptly stopped when the she-elf received an elbow between the ribs from Tamlen, an obvious reminder of the rule that clan secrets should _stay_ secrets for outsiders. Shemlen couldn't be trusted. Her sudden silence had led to various suspicious looks given to them, though luckily none of the humans seemed to fancy another argument with the stubborn elves and left the subject. Or at least for now.

There stayed an uncomfortable silence between the two races at the table for a long couple of minutes, until Alistair finally stood up and announced that it was probably for the best to turn in early tonight. "After all, I haven't seen a bed since Ostagar." A slight chuckle escaped his mouth before he retreated to the small room all of them shared in the inn.

Leliana and Morrigan soon followed his example, the latter of those two mumbling something about kicking that 'dim-witted templar' out of the only bed or turning him into a toad... whatever worked out easier. Tamlen had volunteered to take the first watch and wake up the next one a few hours after midnight. Seeing that they already were inside a tavern with enough people in it to warn them if something would go wrong, the five of them had decided to have only one person per watch with the help of Adahlen and Assan. That being said, the only one left to retreat for the night was-

"Lethallan, you should turn in as well." Tamlen said, giving a stern look to the elf – who was now seated on the bench across of him against the wall – obviously using all of the energy she had left to prevent herself from dozing off.

Still, even with her obvious tiredness, Selyna just scoffed. "Sleep? I will be sleeping in a room full of shemlen. And I surely don't trust those shems well enough to be found sleeping _anywhere_ near them."

"Would you rather be killed in battle because you haven't slept for a moment in three days?"

The she-elf pulled a face at hearing his words, somewhere knowing that he was more than right though at the same time fighting a mental battle against the voice inside her head that told her not to allow any of those 'humans' near her when she was unable to defend herself. Shemlen were cowards, and they wouldn't shy away from attacking while their target is helpless and asleep. This was proven to her long ago.

"Fine" Tamlen grumbled as he got up from his seat to pick up his bow before he slipped next to her onto the bench, and placed her head on his shoulder. "Then you can go to sleep now, can't you?"

"W-What?"

"You don't trust the shems, right?" Already knowing the answer, he didn't wait for her response. "But you do trust me so there shouldn't be any problems like this. I keep watch while you sleep." Tamlen continued, absently plucking at the string of his bow as he spoke. "You know that I won't let shemlen hurt any friend of mine, right?"

It stayed silent for another short moment before Selyna finally closed her eyes. "Ma serannas lethallin." After these words she instantly drifted off into a deep sleep, not hearing at all what else was said to her.

"Anytime, emma lath."

oOo

"And... What did you find?"

Alistair looked up at the question asked directly after he had returned to the cage with the giant (and not-so-friendly looking) man inside of it. "Some pretty... _interesting_ things." He looked at the rest of his companions. "Though there is also 'bad' news." A large sigh escaped his mouth before continuing. "Look, I want to help our giant family-murdering friend over there as much as you guys do, but the Revered Mother refused to give me the key from his cage."

Together, they had agreed that Alistair should be the one go to the Chantry and look for the key and any information he would be able to find. '_They didn't want to help the human bartender yesterday and now they even refused to enter the Chantry… Great.'_ Yes, these had been his thoughts on the situation, though he was smart enough not to voice them.

Shifting her weight to her other foot, Selyna simply shrugged. "Well, you tried."

Though before she had even been able to completely finish this sentence Alistair noticed a large shadow appearing behind her, the figure nearing them with heavy footsteps. "Watch out Se- Wait, Sten?" Wasn't he supposed to be still locked up? Releasing the grip on his sword – though if you would ask, he wouldn't remember actually reaching for it – Alistair's eyes slowly shifted back at the rest of his companions. "How did you get him out of his cage..?"

"Selyna picked the lock." Leliana responded, disapproval clear in her voice.

oOo

Soon night began to fall, a sign for Selyna and Tamlen to begin their search for a camping spot. Before they had left, the group had bought enough tents for the all of them and a few extra (you never know) so that they would at least have a bit of cover when rain would set in. Which, seeing that we're talking about Ferelden here, probably wouldn't be long before it did.

Not much had happened that day. After Selyna had freed Sten they had decided that it was probably for the best to leave as soon as possible. The revered mother wouldn't like to see her giant walking around freely without her permission... When they had entered the path away from the town the six had run into a straggler group of darkspawn, who had been targeting a dwarven merchant and his son. The two dwarves were saved and Alistair had once again gone out of his way and – much to the annoyance of both elves - invited the two to join them. Since that moment the elves and dwarves had been arguing with each other without pause, but the rest of the group was just glad that they at least had a wagon (and a pony to pull it) to carry their possessions.

But now that they had found a spot to set up camp, it was time to make the last arrangements for the night. Thanks to a bit of the magic Morrigan carried with her, a large fire was soon lightening the center of camp, with a smaller one on the edge of camp where the witch herself had set up her tent. All others on the other hand were just placing their tents around the fire... yes, all others, except for the two Dalish elves who just rolled out their bedrolls.

"Why don't you set up your tents?" Alistair had asked.

Tamlen had casted his eyes at the sky after hearing this question, apparently asking the creators how on earth shemlen could be asking about this obvious fact. After all, even the shem should be able to tell this... "It's not going to rain tonight and the ground is warm enough to sleep on." He looked back at the templar, who was still armed with his tent sticks. "Why are you setting up your tent?"

"Because it could rain."

"Din, it won't."

"But it _could_."

"And _I_ say it won't."

Coming to the conclusion that talking to Tamlen was more impossible than talking to Sten at the moment, Alistair had let out a soft sigh before deciding to continue helping Leliana to set up her tent. Selyna, who had just silently watched the exchange between Tamlen and Alistair go by, apparently took this as the moment to follow the shem's example and go find something to do as well, though when she turned around she instantly faced the ground. Letting out an annoyed grunt, the slender elf looked furiously over her shoulder, finding a very huge and very proud looking Mabari hound standing up again and taking a few steps towards her. "What are you planni-" Her sentence was left unfinished as Adahlen decided that it was the right moment to crash down on the she-elf's legs, holding her down on the ground with his massive weight. "Don't dare to laugh."

Biting down on his lip to prevent himself from doing the exact opposite of this warning, Tamlen moved towards the two and took Selyna's hands to pull her out from underneath the large hound. "Maybe he thinks you're a comfortable pillow?" The elf tried once he had freed his female companion, not _quite_ able to hide the smile forming on his face.

"Or maybe he's jealous." She replied, attempting to wipe the mud, darkspawn blood and wet dog hair (it seemed like Adahlen had been fighting a mud monster along with the group of darkspawn) off her bare legs and boots before straightening up again.

"Jealous?" Tamlen wondered "Of what?"

The reply was delayed a bit by Selyna taking the time to shoot a glare at the mabari hound, though she soon turned back to him with that familiar smile showing on her lips. "Me, of course." She replied, in that same way as she always used to make it hard for Tamlen to figure out whether or not she was actually being serious. "Currently I am getting way more attention from you than he gets."

Instead of laughing like he usually would, a deep frown appeared on Tamlen's face. "Hm, then maybe I should back off before Fenarel gets jealous too..."

Selyna's face instantly darkened at the mention of this name, shooting daggers at the other elf with only her eyes. "Thanks for helping me remind of the reason why I was angry at you before all of this started!" She blew, directing a punch towards Tamlen's head (which he dodged, barely) before continuing on a slightly lower tone. "Where in the creator's name were you? You _know_ you can't just go out and disappear for a few days! And WHY did you not tell me? I know he told it to you even _before_ I knew it from Ashalle!"

"I didn't want to come between you and your dear-" By the time Tamlen had finally managed to get his words through he was about as annoyed as Selyna currently was. Though his sentence was interrupted when the both of them got a clay bowl filled with a thick, grey substance stuffed underneath their noses.

At an instant the two elves backed away, trying to get as much distance as possible between them and the cheerfully smiling man holding the bowls. "What is _that_?" One of the elves asked, voice completely filled with disgust that at the same time made it pretty clear that neither one of the elves really liked the- whatever it was inside the bowls.

"Supper." The templar responded cheerfully.

"..Are you sure?"

"Of course!" Alistair exclaimed, looking a bit like a kicked puppy after being forced to hear Tamlen's opinion on his cooking. "It's a great Ferelden stew, I made it myself." He finished, handing them their bowls.

"It's grey." The Selyna noticed suspiciously, obviously still not sure whether the substance was eatable or not.

"Stew is always grey."

Now was Tamlen's turn to raise his eyebrow. "No it's not."

"It looks like a poison I once made..." Selyna made a face "Ugh, it surely smells the same." After a short moment of hesitation she placed the bowl on the ground for Assan, though the wolf apparently thought the same way about the 'food' as the elves did and left it for what it was without even doing as much as sniffing it twice. Adahlen on the other hand seemed to actually like the grey... _stuff_. Not staying around to watch the hound devour her meal Selyna turned on her heels, grabbed her bow and quiver, and took away towards the forest – Assan on her heels.

"Where are you going?"

"Hunting." She replied, glancing back at the templar over her shoulder as she replied before continuing her pass. "...and maybe I'll find some eatable herbs."

"But the sun is already set! You won't be able to see anything in the forest! You can't go out hunting! Or at least not alone!" Alistair yelled after her, but she just ignored him and kept walking.

"Elves have better senses than shemlen." Tamlen mumbles as he picked up his bow as well and followed behind her. At least Alistair had been right about one thing; it wasn't wise if Selyna would go out hunting alone. Especially not when she was upset about something.

oOo

Selyna only slowed down her inhumanly quick steps after she had reached a small lake; a great place for thirsty animals but also the best place for eatable herbs to grow. But it had been easy enough for her to discover that someone had been following her, and this someone could be no one else but Tamlen. Which brought her to the following question: "Why are you following me?"

Her sensitive ears could easily pick up the sound of a sigh escaping from Tamlen's mouth before he responded, he obviously seemed tired of all this. "Why are you acting like this?"

"Why are _you_ acting like this?" She reflected back. "You're not the one who was forced into an _engagement_ behind your own back!"

"Right, to _my_ closest friend!"

"Wasn't _I_ your closest friend?"

"You are!" At least his words were spoken without hesitation, though now he was hesitating about something else; Fenarel's position in his limited circle of friends. "...He's my closest _male-_friend, alright?"

Somehow that explanation did not help her at all. Pushing back a lost lock of her red hair Selyna rolled her eyes. "So what exactly is the problem when your two best friend going to be life-mates? Afraid you're going to be left out?"

"That's not it and you know it!"

"Oh, Din? Then what _is_ your problem?" When no answer came Selyna let out a growl, suddenly starting to walk away from him again. This was going nowhere and a she wasn't feeling much for- _'Oh, great.' _Feeling a certain force keeping her from walking away, the she-elf looked down at her hand, noticing that it was Tamlen's hand around her wrist that prevented her from leaving. "Tamlen, what are-" Her words trailed off as she watched him lower his eyes to the ground, briefly noticing the gold colored globes disappearing behind his eyelids. _'Wait... gold?'_

Tamlen, however, was too occupied with his own thoughts to be paying too much attention to what Selyna had been noticing in his eyes. Instead he was studying the wet leaves on the ground, attempting to come up with the right words to say. "...It was..." He hesitated. "...It's because..." Pause. Sigh. Try again. "...I think..." Just one more time. "Selyna, I..."

"Tamlen look at me."

Oh, she was not planning to let him finish his sentence? By the love of the creators. "Err, Selyna... I'm trying to.. _apologize_ here."

Selyna being Selyna, she was once again ignorant enough to pay no single attention to his complains before pressing on. "Just look at me!" She repeated, impatiently waiting for him to do what she asked. The moment his eyes focused at hers she could only blankly stare at his gold colored eyes, not the weird yellowish color Morrigain's eyes were, but a _real_ gold color. But Tamlen's eyes were green, not the same teal color like hers but still! "That can't be good..." The slender elf mumbled, feeling somewhat surprised when Tamlen watched her with the same strange look as she gave him.

And apparently, Tamlen agreed with her previous comment. "Your eyes..."

"What mine too?"

"Too?"

After this last discovery the two finally looked away from each other, focusing their eyes on their own reflections in the still water of the lake to notice their own changes. "...exactly when did my eyes changed color?"

oOo

"Alistair!"

The templar jumped when he suddenly heard his name being called across the clearing, first night outside and already someone needed his help? Their group was doomed... "Already done hunting?" He questioned while looking at the two elves, one being the elf that had called his name. "Where is the prey?" As an answer to this question, a few herbs and berries came down at his feet. "...Maybe those rumors about hunting skills are a bit overestimated after all..."

"Is that another Grey Warden thing?" Tamlen asked as he gestured towards Selyna's face – and more specifically; her eyes. Surely he wasn't planning to wait for Alistair to finish offending and making fun of the Dalish before this matter was solved. Afterwards that the templar would probably get a well earned beating from either Tamlen himself or his lethallan.

A short hesitation followed, wherein Alistair found himself wondering what exactly Tamlen was talking about. Something about Selyna's...face? Yes, she was a Grey Warden now but that hadn't affected her appearance. It couldn't. "Nooo..." He drew slowly. "I'm pretty sure she is born that way."

"Stop the jesting and be serious for once!" Obviously the elf was now really losing his patience with the Templar. "I'm talking about why our eyes are like this."

"And before you make any smart comments; we mean the color." Selyna added impatiently even before Alistair could open his mouth to form a response.

Once again a frown appeared on his face, though this one was much deeper than the previous one. "You mean... it's not an elven thing?"

"And why in Andruil's name would you consider having gold eyes as an 'elven' thing?"

This was probably not the best time to be asking who Andruil is, right? Yeah, he already thought so. "When you first came to Ostagar, your eyes were gold all the time." He shrugged "I figured it was the normal color. After all; it was only once you had passed your joining before your eyes changed color again. Duncan had told me not to mention it to you."

"That..." Yes, _that_ made her wonder again about things. And now there was yet another thing that Duncan had been hiding from her! What was next? The miraculous way to slay the archdemon? "Just... How often does this happen?"

"That gold-thing?" He waited for her to nod in response before continuing. "Quite often since we've left Flemeth's hut, less when we were in Lothering. Maybe it only happens when you're upset?"

The she-elf scoffed at the templar's suggestion. "Upset? Pff, try angry."

"Then, how about me?" Tamlen wanted to know.

"Pretty much the same, but I haven't seen you at Ostagar."

"How?"

"I'm sorry but I have no idea. I've never heard of Grey Wardens with color shifting eyes. Maybe there have been a few before you, but they did not found it worth mentioning." A slight smile shifted over his lips, probably more to break tension than anything else. "Or maybe you two are the first! Congratulations."

"Yeah... lucky us." Tamlen responded sarcastically, just before suddenly getting an idea that disturbed him quite a bit. "What color are darkspawn eyes?"

"Most of the time, I don't compliment them on their eyes before I run my sword through them." The second witty comment in two sentences; that just _asked _for a threatening gold-eyed look from Tamlen. "They're black, but in the early stages some tainted eyes are..."

"Gold?" Selyna finished, giving her response in a questioning matter though it was pretty obvious from Alistair's reaction alone to see she was right.

"It doesn't have to mean anything." The templar assured them "You've both been through the Joining, so it has stopped the taint from spreading. I don't know how you got infected but it can't turn you anymore. You've only got a souvenir."

"And there is the reason why I hate gifts." She looked from the star-filled sky back to the human, still obviously annoyed though the gold was finally fading away in the sea of teal of her eyes. So now everyone would just know whether or not she was upset just by looking at her eyes? Great. "Don't mention this to the others."

"Of course not, it's just going to be another of those dirty Grey Warden secrets we all love so much."

oOo

Apparently another one of those secrets was that she had to relive the horrors of being tainted every night and an occasional visit of the Archdemon in her dreams. The visions and voices she had heard before came back in the nightmares she had now. Just like the dragon and his song...

Selyna woke up in a cold sweat, instantly sitting up as straight as she could to check for any real life danger. It had only been due the years of training to stay silent, that she had kept herself from yelling out as soon as she awoke. From the position of the moon the elf could see that it was just after midnight. A few feet away she saw Tamlen sitting up too, when he looked at her his face was deadly pale. '_I probably look even worse than him.'_ She thought while putting on her 'everything is fine' mask.

"Bad dreams, huh?" Alistair's voice said more than asked. When looking up, she could see him poking around in the fire. He had taken it up on himself to take the first watch; though it was only thanks to Assan being with them that Selyna had trusted him with this task while both she and Tamlen were asleep.

"It seemed so real..." The she-elf responded finally, snapping out of her thoughts.

"Well it is real, sort of." He said, once again looking into the fire before deciding that it was best to leave it alone for a while now. "You see, part of being a Grey Warden is being able to hear the darkspawn. That's what your dream was. Hearing them. The archdemon, it... 'talks' to the horde, and we feel it just as they do. That's why we know this is really a Blight."

"Grey Wardens don't feel the archdemon 'just as the horde does' for the tainted, it's actually worse." Tamlen noted, but his words were both ignored by the templar as by his clanmate. Apparently not one of them wanted to think about that, and honestly, neither did Tamlen himself.

"Well it takes a bit, but eventually you can block the dreams out." Alistair continued, "Some of the older Grey Wardens say they can understand the archdemon a bit, but I sure can't."

"You can pretty much guess what it says. It just wants to kill every living thing."

"Anyhow, when I heard you two thrashing around, I thought I should tell you. It was scary at first for me too."

"I'm not frightened." Selyna's response was instant, but what he added did not go without a quick look and smile at Tamlen. Her words were more to assure _him_ that she was fine than anyone else after all. "A Dalish hunter fears nothing!"

Alistair smiled "Well, then at least I have done my job for the night then. Delivering unpleasant news and witty one-liners; someone should do it." He stood up "Anyhow, you're up now, right? We should pick our next destination before we pull up camp." Seeing that it probably was for the best, the others agreed and soon the three of them were hovering over the map Alistair had placed on the ground.

"So we have treaty's from the dalish elves, the circle mages and the dwarves of Orzammar." He pointed to three points on the map. "The circle mages can be found inside the tower of magi which lies here, Orzammar over there and I think we can find some dalish clans in that forest. I'm sure that Arl Eamon would help us too, but I've heard he is terribly ill... They say that the only thing that can cure him is the sacred urn of Andraste. A friend of mine told me that we need to find brother Genitivi in Denerim, he was trying to locate the urn." Another place was pointed out on the map, this one a bit further off compared to the rest.

"You're the elder Grey Warden here" Selyna said on a annoyed tone as she suddenly tore her eyes away from the map. "I'm guessing _you_ take the lead from here?"

Alistair's reaction however, was nothing like she had expected. Quite the opposite, to be honest. For his eyes went entirely big, and he quickly started denying the statement. "What? Lead? Me? No, no, no! No leading. Bad things happen when I lead. We get lost, people die, and the next thing you know I'm stranded somewhere without any pants." Now his eyes were focused back on Selyna and Tamlen, the latter of those two who was seeking support with the other.

"What?" The she-elf asked when she suddenly realized that both of them were now staring at her. "You guys are planning to dup all the responsibilities on my shoulders? Great..." Her sarcastic words could poison men but she didn't protest any further. This could also be thanks to the fact that a frustrated cry came from the other side of camp to distract their attention. Apparently Leliana's tent just had collapsed – again.

"Here take a look at the documents and the map while I help her." Alistair said, stuffing the parchments into Selyna's hands before going off to rescue Leliana. All while desperately trying to withhold his laugh, naturally.

His actions were unnoticed by the red-haired elf though, for her concentration was already fully taken by the hateful papers in her hands. "Wonderful..." Selyna commented annoyed while looking up at Tamlen. After returning to camp they seemed to have created a silent agreement not to mention their fight earlier. It wasn't like they could trust any of their other companions as they trusted each other. "Can you read Fereldish?"

He shook his head "Din." At this response Selyna turned to look at Alistair again, opening her mouth only to yell his name over the camping place once again. At least it would wake the others up... They both smiled when they saw how Alistair jumped at the sudden noise and began to make his way towards them again as if the archdemon itself was chasing him.

"We still need him, you know?" Tamlen commented dryly. "And one day very soon; you're going to deliver the shem a heart attack."

"Serves him right." She replied when they saw the templar stumbling over something (mostly likely his own feet) while trying to walk in their direction. "...but _maybe_ there is some sense in what you're saying."

"What's wrong?" Alistair asked as he came to a halt, only _just_ preventing himself from tripping again.

"No need in replacing that tent. We'll leave for Orzammar at once."

He raised his eyebrows in surprise "That I wasn't expecting. Why do you want to do that one first?"

The she-elf stood up "Because of a lesson someone learned me once."

"May I ask which lesson this was?" Alistair asked when she walked away.

Selyna stopped to look over her shoulder "Halam sa sahlin." The response caused Tamlen to chuckle and Alistair to look even more confused. '_Next time I ask her something I'll make sure I can actually understand her answer...'_ He thought before he stood and took off to pack up his tent.

**English-Elvish translation:**

Harel (hah-REHL): dreaded, frightening, causing fear.  
Da'len (dah-LEN): little child(ren).  
Ma serannas (ma SEHR-ahn-ahs): Thank you.  
Din (DEEN): Not, here used as 'no'  
Emma (EM-mah): my.  
Halam sa sahlin (hah-LAHM SAH sah-LEEN): Worst things first  
Shemlen/Shem (SHEHM-lehn): Literally "quick children", the original name of the elves for the human race.  
Lethallan (leth-ah-LAHN): Casual reference used for someone with whom one is familiar, used for females  
Lethallin (leth-ah-LEEN): Casual reference used for someone with whom one is familiar, used for males


	5. Orzammar

**Author's notes: **This chapter was getting way to long... so I had to split it in two xD Orzammar part 2 is getting uploaded later today, or tomorrow. The day after tomorrow I'm off camping for a week so I can't upload quite as often as I would like.

This chapter doesn't have as much Elvish words as I would like. First I wrote the dialogues in the whole first part before they went looking for Branka in Elvish. But then I thought 'Gee, no one except for me is going to understand this even with the translator.' So I decided to write the dialogue between Tamlen and Selyna in normal English =( even though they are actually speaking Elvish.

**Disclaimer: **I own nothing, apart from the things I made up myself

* * *

**Orzammar**

The Grey Wardens, a world full of annoying allies

"Animals and Elves are not allowed to enter the Diamond Quarter." Selyna said, trying to mimic the dwarf's voice.

"Those dwarfs are all raciest." Tamlen muttered.

When they had arrived at Orzammar they quickly discovered that getting the dwarves as allies may not be as easy as they thought it would be. Apparently the king had died without choosing the next heir. And as long as there was no king, there would be no one to sent troops against the upcoming Blight.

Selyna had -much to the surprise of the others- pursued the guards to let them into the dwarven city. But once they entered they knew it was only a matter of time before the old rivalry between the two races came up. It was when they tried to enter the Diamond Quarter when the trouble started.

Tamlen, Selyna, Assan and Adahlen had to stay behind while the others handed the troubles up there. But as soon as the humans were gone more dwarves came to them, calling them names and trying to pick fights. To avoid more trouble they now both sat cross legged, fifty feet above the ground on top of some higher rocks near the exit to the deep roads. Somehow Assan and Adahlen had managed to follow them and were sitting a few feet behind them on some sort of stone platform.

"I'll bet we can take them all, if we really try." Tamlen said while looking at the crowd forming beneath them.

"Calm, lethallan we still need them." Selyna responded, they both turned around when they heard a whine coming from behind. A dwarf had tossed a rock towards them and had hit Assan on her head.

Tamlen looked at how Selyna's eyes turned gold when she looked back at the one responsible. Before he could stop her a arrow was flying towards the dwarf, caught him in one of the braids on the side of his head and pinned him to the ground.

"Nice shot" he commented "No injuries, just enough to scare them off I think." To prove him wrong even more dwarves joined the crowd, but none of them dared to throw another rock.

Selyna frowned and while she looked around her eyes slowly regained their original color. When the midnight blue color was fully back she sat down again to let out a sigh. "What's wrong?" Tamlen asked, noticing her disturbance.

"It's nothing" she tilted her head to the side and found him looking at her with a 'you don't fool me' look on his face. "I think..." she hesitated "the darkspawn eyes are better." Tamlen raised his eyebrows "I mean, sharper. I can see more details... it's hard to describe."

"Well maybe we can use them in our average."

"We just need to be able to control the shifting..."

OOO

The group had tried to contact the two elves but due their lack of knowledge about rock climbing and the still growing crowd of shouting and cursing dwarves they'd just waved to the two elves, who cheerfully waved back. After that the group turned around and took off towards Dust Town.

"Don't they have anything better to do than standing here all day?" The she-elf wondered out loud when looking back at the crowd.

"Like what?" Tamlen asked.

"I don't know... dig caves, cuddle rocks, killing each other because of the civil war down here."

"Somehow they have buried their differences and stood together to shout at the two of us."

"Typical dwarven logic" Selyna said with a amused voice.

OOO

"I think we have to spend the night on this big rock." Tamlen noted, his gold eyes staring in the direction of Dust Town.

Selyna gave up on staring until the crowd would suddenly drop dead at her gaze to raise her eyebrows and look at him. "How so?"

"You know the humans and the Qunari we travel with?" she nodded "I think they're sleeping in that tavern tonight."

A few Elvish words escaped her mouth where Ashalle would have killed her for if she ever heard her saying them. Tamlen just chuckled and his eyes turned blue again. "You were right, just thinking of something that makes you angry works too."

"It worked for me so I figured it would do the same to you."

He smiled and petted Adahlen on his head "Where do you think of?"

She looked away "Arranged marriage."

"I'm sorry I shouldn't have asked." She felt Tamlen kneeling next to her and putting his hand on her shoulder. She turned her head to meet the concerned look in his eyes.

"It doesn't matter, I have to get over it sometime" the she-elf shook his hand of and stood up to walk towards Assan and the bag she had managed to take with her "Besides that it's already cancelled." She noted when looking for something to eat inside the bag. When she had found some of the elven loaf she had made, she split it in two and threw him the biggest half, which he caught easily. "The keeper had made it clear to me that there would be no further connections between me and the clan. So I'll guess that would involve no marriage with someone _from_ the clan."

"Are you disappointed?"

"Shah." When she turned around she could have sworn that he looked somewhat, relieved. But maybe she was just imagining it, when she looked again all traces of it were gone. He had putted on a mask like she did so often, like all dalish were learned to put on.

There fell a uncomfortable silence between them. "At least we have food." Tamlen noted after a few minutes, as much to break the silence as to change subject.

"Yes, and I still have some leftovers from Alistair's stew for Adahlen. Assan caught a deer this morning so she is full for at least the next two or three days."

"Let's just hope we don't have to sit here for three days."

Selyna smiled "Do you remember that time we were trapped in that ravine for three days?"

"Of course I remember that, it was winter and we almost froze to death" he smiled "And I remember Ashalle yelling at you for three hours when they had finally found us."

She shook her head "I told you not to go there."

"Khi, you did. Just like you told me not to touch that mirror..."

"Somewhere I'm glad you did." He gave her a surprised look. "What? If you hadn't been so krild to touch that mirror, I would be married to Fenarel. That's even worse than stopping the Blight." She added with a playful smile.

"I am krild? You wanted to go to investigate that cave as much as I." He responded, mirroring her smile.

"That's right, but I told you not to touch the mirror."

"And _that's_ why you're the leader now."

She rolled her eyes "Seran shue."

OOO

That morning -well they thought it was morning but it's hard to tell when you're under the ground- almost the whole crowd had gone home. The two elves quickly climbed down, relieved that they didn't need to kill half of Orzammar once they were back on the ground.

A few dwarves started to yell at them, but after a few arrows at their feet they suddenly decided to go home. The elves ate the last pieces of loaf together and were glad to see that Alistair decided to leave early from the tavern, after a few minutes the rest of the group joined them.

"Where are all the fans?" Alistair asked them with his usual smile.

"Iy'neama" By the looks on his face Selyna noted that she was still speaking Elvish. It was hard to switch tongues after a whole day of speaking Elvish like you're used to do. "Not a word, Alistair." She said on a cranky tone.

"So anything interesting happened while we were gone?"

"Leliana, we were sitting on a rock the whole day staring at shouting dwarves. "

"That's pretty much the same as what we've done. Except from the rock part." She noted and brought them quickly up to date. Apparently they needed to chose a king, Alistair had chose to support prince Bhelen. He was a arrogant bastard who probably was the one behind the deaths of his two siblings and his father but as Alistair had explained, he was the best candidate. They had to intimidate some people and kill a criminal leader in dust town. Now their last task was to find paragon Branka in the deep roads, she would chose the next king.

"Oh that's all?" Tamlen asked sarcastically "From what I've head she disappeared two years ago along with her whole house."

"How do you know that?"

"Like Selyna said, we were sitting on a rock the whole day staring at _shouting_ dwarves."

Alistair cleared his throat so all eyes focused on him "There is one more thing..." he said. From behind him a small figure with a huge axe and a red braided mustache appeared along with a horrible smell of unwashed feet mixed with ale.

"Wonderful." Selyna remarked sarcastically "You've actually found something that smells even worse than Tamlen's dog."

Adahlen growled at her but the dwarf pretended he hadn't heard her. "My name is Oghren" he said "If you've ever heard of me before, it's probably all been about how I piss ale and murder little boys who look at me wrong. And that's mostly true..."

"Charming." The she-elf noted, when Oghren finished his introduction with a loud burp.

The dwarf shook his head disapprovingly and focused on Alistair. "I'll bet Bhelen told you a lot about her. But they haven't found Branka herself, and that means whatever they've got, it's not enough if you don't know what she was looking for. If we pool our knowledge we stand a chance of finding Branka. Otherwise, good sodding luck"

"Sound like we have little choice" Selyna said, after letting out a heavy sigh she continued "you can come with us."

"You should know that Branka was looking for the Anvil of the Void, the secret to building golems, which was lost centuries ago. The smith Caridin built it, and with it Orzammar had a hundred years of peace while it was protected by the golems forged on the Anvil. As far as anyone knows the Anvil was built in the old Ortan Thaig. Branka planned to start looking there, if she could ever find it. All she knew was that it was past Caridin's Cross. No one's seen that thaig for five hundred years."

"Bhelen gave us a map" Alistair said "We can get to Caridin's Cross."

"If we're going, let's get moving. Branka's not going to sodding find herself."

OOO

The group had been walking in the deep roads for some time and they had found some notes from Branka, telling them her possible location. So they went on their way to The Dead Trenches, where they finally saw the Archdemon in real life, and not in a nightmare. When the dragon flew away they had sneaked into the giant building on the other side of the ravine.

Selyna noticed that every once in a while Oghren drank from a flask he had on his belt. Judging from the smell it was probably filled with some strong alcoholic drink. "I just don't understand you elves. Not one bit." Oghren said, breaking the silence that had fallen over the group after seeing the archdemon.

Tamlen raised his brows "Is he talking to me or to you?" the other elf shrugged in response.

"These humans... they turn you all into slaves. They... what did they do? They destroy your homeland! Twice!" _This conversation is already getting annoying..._ the she-elf thought "What is your point, dwarf?"

"Well, I just don't understand. Why don't you just... kill 'em all?"

In her eye corner she saw Leliana and Alistair giving each other concerned looks, they were probably not fond of the idea of killing all humans. Selyna just rolled her eyes "There are a great many more humans than elves, if you haven't noticed." her voice was cold.

"So? There's a hundred humans for every dwarf, too, but you don't see us bending over an' getting our pipes cleaned, do you?"

"That's big talk for a man who lives in a tunnel."

"All I know is the dwarves would never stand for it. You'd think you elves would have learned to duck."

"That must be it, exactly."

"_First day, they come and catch everyone."_

Selyna looked around. "Did you hear that?" she asked the others, who all shook his or her head at the same time, _It's almost creepy. _Only Tamlen was looking around like her, trying to locate the sound.

"_Second day, they beat us and eat some for meat."_

"Whatever it is, it's coming from that direction" Tamlen pointed north and Selyna nodded to confirm. The elves leaded the way, following their ears. As they got closer to the source of the sound the others could hear it to. It was a voice, more like a whisper, feminine, sounding like she was saying some sort of spell or chant.

"_Third day, the men are gnawed on again."_

"'T sounds like a story Mother would tell me." Morrigan noted.

"_Fourth day, we wait and fear for our fate."_

Leliana looked at the apostate "Somehow I'm not suspecting a happy end."

"I assure you, Mother's story's never had a happy end."

"Do I even want to know?"

"No, you really don't" Morrigan assured her.

"_Fifth day, they return and it's another girl's turn."_

Another corner, another fight. They got closer to the source, the voice was loud now, like the person was standing next to them. The group began to walk faster, they wanted to know who said this, and why.

"_Sixth day, her screams we hear in our dreams." _

"They were probably tainted..." Selyna heard Alistair saying behind her "the screams in their dreams must be the Archdemon."

"_Seventh day, she grew as in her mouth they spew."_

"_Eighth day, we hated as she is violated."_

"_Ninth day, she grins and devours her kin."_

"_Now she does feast, as she's become the beast."_

"Now, _that_ doesn't sounds good."

OOO

"_Broodmother..." _

The group walked cautious, Selyna up front. Hespith's warning was still on her mind. _Can corruption do this? Change a someone like this? If what the dwarf said was true Laryn must be changed into something... worse than death. But why? Why did no one stop her? Why did no one free her from this faith? _The answer most of these questions came sooner than she had wanted. To be exact it laid just around the corner.

Because she was the first to walk around the corner she also was the first one to have a good look at Laryn. The female dwarf had turned into a gigantic... a gigantic, fat... _thing_ that spawned other darkspawn and in a manner of way, somewhat reminded her of an insect queen. There was not exactly a good way to describe it, she had never seen anything like this before.

When it let out and ear ear-splitting scream Selyna took a few steps back and bumped into something big made out of cold metal. When she looked around she saw it was Tamlen, wearing the heavy veridium chainmail armor Alistair had forced him into.

He gave her a weak smile "What's wrong Letha-" His eyes went big on seeing the broodmother.

"That is a lot of nipples." Oghren managed to get out, and it was actually quite a good description.

"Where are you talking abou-" The templar's eyes almost popped out of their sockets and his mouth formed a big O when he saw their next opponent.

Apparently the broodmother herself didn't really like all the attention. After letting out another of her ear-splitting screams a dozen of grenlocks ran towards them, weapons raised, in order to protect their mother.

* * *

**English-Elvish translation:**

Khi - Yes

Shah - No

Krild - Stupid

Shemlen - Human

Seran shue - Lucky me

Iy'neama - Be quiet/Silence!

Lethallan - Friend of mine. Used for males

Lethallin - Friend of mine. Used for females

Assan - Arrow (Name of Selyna's White wolf)

Adahlen - Forest (Name of Tamlen's Mabari hound)


	6. Travels

**Author's Notes: **I guess some things in my story needs expiation, because I got some mails from really confused people xD. So here it comes (If you have other questions feel free to send me a PM):

Tamlen and Selyna can speak Elvish, and not only a couple of words but, like most Dalish in my story, they understand the whole language. When they we're young the keeper of their clan taught them how to read and write Elvish. They don't use the runes however (that knowledge was lost long ago) but symbols. There are twenty-three different symbols, each representing a different letter from our alphabet (there is no symbol for Z). Their clan avoided humans as much as possible because the youngest (including Tamlen and Selyna) of the clan had regained their immortality. The two of them can speak Fereldain fluently (They call it Fereldish) but they can't read nor write it.

I hope that answered all of your questions ;)

**Disclaimer: **Still not mine...

**Travels**

The Grey Wardens, a world full of unexpected and carzy allies

Selyna pierced her Dar'Misu and Dar'Misaan through the fat skin of the broodmother, while Assan distracted the huge darkspawn. When she was startled the elf jumped up and drove the sword through the broodmother's chest -in the place where her heart should be- and cut her throat with the dagger, which got stuck in the skin.

With her last force the broodmother somehow managed to throw her off. The elf skillfully landed on her feet while the darkspawn collapsed in front of her.

Suddenly exhausted Selyna sank through her knees and rested her back against the broodmother's corpse while looking at how the others finished off the last grenlocks. "Taking a break?" Alistair asked with a teasing smile while wiping off his blade.

She was too tired to think of an suitable answer, so she just mumbled "Iy'neama" while he helped her up.

"You're saying that quite often but I still don't know what it means." Alistair noted.

"Shut up."

He raised an eyebrow at Tamlen. "What?"

The elf rolled his eyes. "It means that you should shut up."

Selyna let out a sigh while looking up at her latest kill. "So..." She started "Who wants to get my weapons from up there?"

OOO

They had been walking in the tunnels behind the broodmother's cave for a few hours now. After they had exited the last tunnel into one of the bigger chambers a stone wall raised up behind them, blocking the exit. An extraordinary blunt dwarf greeted them.

"Shave my back and call me an elf!" this remark granted Oghren two furious looks from the elves, but he paid no attention to them, "Branka? By the Stone. I barely recognized ye!"

Oghren had sound happy and relieved to see his wife, Branka on the other hand sounded cold and distant when she spoke, "Oghren, I figured you would find your way here eventually. Hopefully you can find your way back more easily." She looked at Selyna, obvious the leader of the group in her eyes "And you brought an_ elf _with you?" her voice sounded disdain "How shall I address you, elf? Hired sword from the latest lording to come looking for me? Or just the only one who could stand Oghren's ale-breath?"

Much to her surprise Oghren defended her "Be respectful, woman! Ye're talking to a Grey Warden!" The title didn't impress Branka, much.

"Ah, so an important errand boy, then." She said "I supposed something serious had happened? Is Eadrin dead? That seems most likely."

Selyna nodded "He is dead, alas, and the assembly is deadlocked."

This answer seemed to annoy her "Then what is your involvement in this? Why would a surface and more important an **elf** be interested in dwarven politics?" She almost spat the word elf out, like it gave her a horrible taste in her mouth. Selyna rolled her eyes as the dwarf began her speech over how powerful the golems once were and how their power was now lost to the things it should be fighting.

"But of course there is a catch." Selyna answered simply. Branka told the about the traps Caridin had designed and how she would sacrifice anything to the Anvil. "But how could you do this?" the she-elf started "You betrayed everyone in your house! How about Hespith and all the others?"

"Enough questions. If you want me to help you with this, you need to help me first."

"What has this place done to ye?" Oghren spat "I remember marrying a girl, ye could talk to for one minute and see her brilliance."

"I **am** your Paragon." Branka answered.

OOO

With Branka dead and the Anvil destroyed no other dwarf ever had to suffer the horrid of becoming a Golem again. Before destroying the Anvil, Caridin -who was made into a Golem by his apprentices- forged them a crown for the new king. He didn't want to know who this person was, he already had lived long past his time, and trusted the Wardens to choose the next dwarven king responsibly. After that Selyna destroyed the Anvil and Caridin fell into the magma filled ravine in order to finally, rest in peace.

On their way back Oghren looked... troubled. Selyna couldn't blame him. He had just killed his own wife, he had the right to be like this. When she told him it was okay for him being upset he gave her a suspicious look, "Upset?" The dwarf scoffed "I don't get upset, I get drunk!" She couldn't help but chuckle.

They'd stopped to look at the impressive sight of the Deep Roads one last time. For the first time since they had entered Sten said something "Why would such a small people make things so tall? They must own an impressive array of ladders." This caused the whole group -except for Oghren- to laugh. Sten looked confused, he couldn't see the humor in his statement.

Back in Orzammar the group discovered some changes. When they tried to enter the Diamond quarters the guards -after they saw Alistair carrying the crown for the next king- let them pass without stopping them first. Even the Aminals could follow him. The elves however weren't so lucky.

Once again they were forced to take their leave due the forming crowd. Not really fond off the idea of spending another day on top of some rock underground they decided that Alistair, Leliana and Oghren should to talk to the new dwarven king while the two elves, their animals, Sten and Morrigan went back to the surface.

Once they saw the red lighted sky above them –the sun was setting- all of them let out a sigh of relief. Except for Sten of course, whose face was completely emotionless.

"Nian'nii senai tahau." Selyna muttered while walking back to camp.

The other elf grinned "Shue Khi."

OOO

"You seemed troubled, Lethallin." Tamlen said while handing her a bowl. _Stew, Again. Well at least Alistair didn't made this, so one could actually eat it. _After Alistair's first cooking attempt they quickly decided that, when it came's to cooking, they had take turns so that they only had to eat Alistair's 'supper' once or maybe twice a week.

She took the bowl from him, placed it next to her on the grass and focused her eyes back on the book she was reading. When she turned the page a few drops of blood fell on the paper. Selyna hoped Tamlen hadn't noticed this but soon she felt two soft hands taking her hand in them in order to examine the deep cut from her wrist to her elbow.

"You need to have someone look at this, Selyna." He looked her in the eyes. "And by that someone I mean someone with healing magic." His tone was soft and it made her feel uncomfortable. "I don't trust the shemlen witch." She said while trying to escape his gaze.

"If you want so, I can also stitch it. But that would involve a needle and thread and we both know how that feels through skin."

Selyna grimaced "Fine, I'll go see the witch." she muttered, before taking off towards the smaller fire Morrigan had made on the other side of camp.

When she walked away Tamlen's eyes focused back on the book she had been reading. He turned the page back to where she had been reading. A sheet of vellum fell out the book. It had some notes on it written in Elvish. When he looked back at the book he saw that it was probably an translation. _One of the shemlens must have helped her with this_. He thought while he read the notes.

_When exposed to the darkspawn taint, men are driven mad and eventually die. Women, however, undergo great pain and gross mutations that cause most of them to perish. Those that survive, however, become the grotesque broodmothers. These giant, twisted behemoths birth many darkspawn at a time; a single broodmother can create thousands of darkspawn over the course of her lifetime._

Tamlen blinked a few times. _Okay, I can see how this could upset her. _He thought while turning the vellum sheet around. On the back side there was a short text. He noticed that Selyna had wrote this part in a rather shaky handwriting.

_It is revealed that broodmothers are created by subjecting females of the humanoid races to the darkspawn taint, apparently by force-feeding darkspawn tissue. The female then starts to mutate, develops cannibalistic urges and begins to feed on other sapient prisoners. She devours massive amounts of flesh and grows into a broodmother. The race of the broodmother directly influences which kind of darkspawn she will birth. An dwarven broodmother will spawn genlocks, a human broodmother hurlocks, a qunari broodmother ogres, and a elven broodmother shrieks. _

"Reading my notes?"

Tamlen jumped when he suddenly heard the musical sound of Selyna's voice near his ear. She chuckled and sat down next to him. To his surprise she handed him a needle and thread and held out her arm to him. He raised his eyebrows, questioningly, so she would explain "Morrigan said she's no healer." Selyna shrugged "After that, she suggested that my arm should be cut off completely."

He shook his head disapprovingly when he saw the blood flowing out of the wound. _With all the blood loss, it is a miracle she is still walking around like she is._ Carefully he sewed the cut together, like he had done so many times when they had gone out hunting together. When the thread pulled the edges of the wound closer to each other he could almost _hear_ her gritting her teeth.

When he was done she pulled her arm back to inspect the stitches. She nodded approvingly before they both stood up and joined the others at the campfire. It was Sten's turn to keep watch and Morrigan preferred the quiet from her own part of the camp above talks they had around the big fire, so except for them every one sat around the fire.

"Sorry but, I have to ask..." Leliana started when the two elves sat down, Alistair eyes went big and he shook his head at her but the bard simply ignored him.

Selyna hadn't noticed Alistair's gestures because she looked at the woman "What's on your mind Leliana?" She asked, somewhere in the five weeks they had traveled together she and Tamlen stopped calling the humans shemlen and started to call them by their names when they spoke to them.

"Are two you related?"

Surely they hadn't expected that question. After giving each other a confused look they answered "What? Shah! Why would you think that?"

The bard giggled "Ah, But you're always so close..." she giggled again "Lovers then?" This question caugt them off guard. The two elves had exact the same reaction, first their eyes went big and then their cheeks turned bright red. They both tried to say something but when they opened their mouths there came no sound.

After a few seconds Selyna shook her head, looked in the fire, blinked a few times and let out a heavy sigh. "I'm going to walk away now." She announced and walked towards the edge of the clearing were Sten kept watch. She heard Tamlen walking towards his tent without a word.

Sten's blunt voice greeted her "Why are you here?"

"I wanted to ask you something." She said, putting away the previous conversation with the bard.

"Make it quick." He said, focusing on one point in the forest.

The she-elf let out a sigh while she sat down next to him. She thought about a question to ask him, but when she couldn't think of something better she just said, "Tell me about your people."

"No."

Selyna blinked "Well, why not?"

"People are not simple. They cannot be defined for easy reference in the manner of: 'the elves are a lithe, pointy-eared people who excel at poverty.'"

"Shah, you're right. That kind off would offend me."

Sten let out a sigh "I like swords, I like killing things, I follow orders; there's nothing else to know about me."

"You like swords? Me too!"

She could have sworn she saw Sten smile "I knew there was a reason I am still following you."

OOO

Selyna looked up at the Golem she'd just freed. "Why do you keep calling me 'it?'" she asked.

"Entrenched sense of perversity." The Golem answered "The last one who held that damnable rod used to call me 'golem.' 'Golem, fetch me that chair.' 'Do be a good golem and squash that insipid bandit.' And then let's not forget 'Golem, pick me up. I tire of walking." The Golem felt silent for a moment. "It... does have the control rod, doesn't it? I am awake, so it... must..."

"**It** certainly does, right in **its** hand." Selyna answered, showing the Golem the rod.

"I **see** the control rod, yet I feel..." The golem looked at her "Go on. Order me to do something."

Selyna tilted her head "What? Why?"

"Oh, go on. It will be fun."

She smiled when she suddenly got a great idea "Okay, Throw Oghren as far as you can."

"Hey!" Oghren yelled, while taking a few steps back and waving his arms in protection "No dwarf tossing!"

The Golem ignored him "And... nothing? I feel nothing. I feel no compulsion to carry out its command. I supposed this means the rod is... broken?"

"So... what now?" the she-elf scoffed "You go on a killing rampage?"

"Don't be ridiculous." The Golem looked up to the sky, Selyna did the same. High above them they saw a few doves flying over "Well, I wouldn't mind killing the birds... those evil birds and their foul droppings! I could crush them all!" He looked back at her "Hmm. I suppose if I can't be commanded, this means... I have free will, yes? It is simply... what should I do? I have no memories, beyond watching this village for so long. I have no purpose... I find myself a bit of a loss. What about it? It must have awoken me for some reason, no? what did it intend to do with me?"

"Killing darkspawn, primarily."

"The darkspawn are an evil that must be destroyed, it's true. Though not as evil as the birds... damnable feathered fiends!"

OOO

When they walked back to camp they'd been attacked by a group of assassins. The Golem, Shale had immediately proved himself usefull by knocking out the leader. When the fighting was done they tied up the elf and waited until he was consciousness enough to be interrogated.

He waked up groaning, _Being knocked out by a golem must case a headache equal to the one that you get when you're knocked out by a very angry Ogre. _Selyna thought. Off course the being knocked out by a very angry ogre part happened to her ten minutes before the encounter with the assassins. And at this point, even standing up straight was giving her a hard time.

But she discovered soon that the assassin was -just like her- a master in hiding his emotions, and pain. He introduced himself as Zevran, or Zev to his friends. Apparently he was a Crow, an assassin from Antiva. She got the feeling that he was paid to talk her ears off, or he just liked to hear himself talking. Probably the last one.

"If you're done with the interrogation, I've a proposal for you. If you're of a mind."

The she-elf raised a brow "Oh? This should be intresting."

"Well, here's the thing. I failed to kill you, so my life is forfeit. That's how it works. If you don't kill me, the Crows will." He continued "Thing is, I like living. And you obviously are the sort to give the Crows pause. So let me serve you, instead."

Selyna tilted her head at him "You must think I'm royally stupid." At her remark she heard Alistair shifting behind her uncomfortable, but she couldn't think why.

"I think you're royally tough to kill." Zevran smirked "And utterly gorgeous. Not that you'll respond to simple flattery. But there are worse things in life than serving the whims of a deadly sex goddess." Now she heard Tamlen shifting around behind her, but by the sound of it he was more angry. Still no idea why.

"Why would I want your service?" She asked, ignoring her companions.

"Why? Because I am skilled at many things, from fighting to stealth and picking locks." _I can do those things too, being the best rouge back at the clan. _"I could also warn you should the Antivan Crows attempt something more... sophisticated... now that my attempts have failed." The smirk returned to his face. "I could also stand around and look pretty, if you prefer. Warm your bed? Fend off unwanted suitors? No?"

_How am I supposed to respond to this? _She mirrored the smirk Zevran gave her "Standing around and looking pretty is actually my job, but thank you. And when we're being attacked I fight too."

"And you're rather good at it. The thing about being pretty, that is."

Selyna rolled her eyes and putted on the dalish mask, hoping no one saw the blush that had tried to come up to her cheeks. _Why can't this just be a normal conversation? Luckily I told everyone except Tamlen and Alistair to go back to the camp before he woke up. _She let out a sigh "What do you want in return?"

"Well... let's see. Being allowed to live would be nice, and would make me marginally more useful to you. And somewhere down the line if you should decide that you no longer have need of me, then I go on my way. Until then, I am yours. Is that fair?"

She looked over her shoulder, Tamlen nodded to her while Alistair shook his head. While looking back at the assassin she said "Shue shah tauthau toetoi thuet. Very well, I accept your offer."

"What? You're taking the **assassin** with us now? Does that really seem like a good idea?"

"Let's see..." She started "We already have two ex-ghouls, a witch of the wilds, a drunken-foul-smelling dwarf, a giant with a speaking problem, a way-to-happy-for-her-own-good chantry priest/bard, a ex-templar and a golem with some serious bird issues." The she-elf nodded "Yes, I think that an assassin fits in perfectly."

"But what stops him from killing us later? Maybe he poisons our food or cut our throats when we're asleep."

"I know more poisons than anyone I know, and I know a lot of poison-makers. Does that make you fear me more now?" By the look on his face, clearly the answer was 'yes'. She let out another sigh. "Don't worry about it. We could use him. And we could always tie him up when we're going to sleep if that makes you feel better."

Alistair threw helplessly his arms in the air "What do you think of this?" He asked Tamlen.

"I support Selyna in her decisions." He answered simply, earning a grateful look from his Lethallin.

OOO

"What? Another elf?" They heard Oghren say when they'd entered camp.

"**You** have a problem with elves? Who would have thought..." Selyna said sarcastically.

"No, I don't have a 'problem' with elves. I just feel myself outnumbered by ye."

"There were two of us before and only one dwarf." Tamlen noticed.

"Two elves I can take but three..." Oghren trailed off while mumbling a colorful about those 'sodding knife-ears' to himself.

Later that night Selyna sat on one of the branches around the camp fire. The headache was killing her, but Morrigan had told her that she had to stay away for the next twenty-four hours in case she had a concussion. She was surprised to hear that the witch actually read the book about healing spells and illnesses she had bought for her.

The she-elf had hoped on a quiet camp night but of course this wasn't the case. Morrigan and Alistair were in another argument which involved a lot of screaming they didn't seemed to noticed that they were only standing a few feet away from each other so there would be no point in screaming. Leliana had offended Tamlen by saying to him that there was nothing wrong with a good looking elven servant, so he was lecturing her about elven rights. Oghren was chasing Adahlen while yelling something about that the dog had stolen his pants, even though he was obviously wearing his pants. And Sten and Shale were busy doing some sort of growling contest. Due all the noise Assan had started howling and even Selyna hadn't managed to shut her up.

"Are they always like this?" Zevran asked while sitting down next to her. She reminded that he too, needed to stay awake due a possible concussion. _This is going to be a long night..._

"Khi" she answered "Pretty much."

* * *

**End notes: **I hoped you liked the chapter! It's a bit long I know, I was writing this and I didn't paid much attention to the word count. Except when I looked at it when I was done and I thought 'Hmm... I think this is about 1,000 words more than my usual story.' Well, Alas we just have to live with it ;) I couldn't bear to split it in two, again. Oh, and keep in mind that reviews are always welcome. xD

**English-Elvish translation:**

Khi - Yes

Shah - No

Krild - Stupid

Shemlen - Human

Shue Khi - I agree

Iy'neama - Be quiet

Lethallan - Friend of mine. Used for males

Lethallin - Friend of mine. Used for females

Assan - Arrow (Name of Selyna's White wolf)

Nian'nii senai tahau - Let's never do that again

Adahlen - Forest (Name of Tamlen's Mabari hound)

Shue shah tauthau toetoi thuet - I don't want to kill you


	7. Slave Divers to Denerim

**Author's Notes: **And the next chapter is up! Yes, I wrote this when I was out camping (so I wrote it on paper first) and I had to retype the whole chapter and correct the spelling mistakes I'd made xD Oh, and I got an other question so here's the answer to that one:

Yes, Selyna and Tamlen were and still are immortal. As you could read in the chapter 5, Orzammar the youngest of their clan including them had regained their immortality. Even when they are traveling with humans now, they keep their immortal life. When there are three generations of elves living amongst humans they immortality starts to fade, it takes many generations of elves -who've never came into contact with humans for longer than a few days- the regain the immortality completely. That's why most elves still are mortal. The taint does effect the immortality of the two elves but they're not sure how.

Well, That was the question of the day! The only thing I just want to do is to thank everyone who has left a review for the story. Thanks, you guys keep me going ;)

**Disclaimer: **And... nope, Dragon Age is still not mine. Hmm... I would get money if it was, well to bad for me then xD

* * *

**Slave Divers to Denerim**

The Grey Wardens, a world full of unpleasant situations

Alistair rolled his eyes "For the hundredth time, they are **no** slave drivers."

They were having this conversation for the past four hours now. It all started when Selyna decided that since they already had gone to Orzammar and the Circle tower it was now time to go to Denerim to find brother Genitivi. That was when Alistair had to inform her and Tamlen that elves were not permitted to carry weapons in Denerim.

The problem was quickly solved, She, Tamlen and Zevran wouldn't carry any **visible** weapons while inside the city. Then Alistair came with some other news that would make their mission a lot harder, unemployed elves or elves without an home in the Alienage were not permitted into the city either.

"Easy for you to say. You don't have to **work**for them, shah?" Tamlen pointed out.

Alistair had known a solution but he knew that none of the non-humans would like it. He Leliana, Morrigan and Wynne could travel together with a group of merchants. The merchants however refused to travel with elves and dwarves who didn't worked for them, so the elves and dwarves had to accept a job from the merchants. This should also help them if they wanted to enter Denerim, not to forget the merchants had horses this would speed up their trip with at least a month.

"Do we get paid?"

"Err..." Alistair scratched the back of his head "No, not really..."

"So... we have to work for shemlen, against our will **and **without getting paid?" Selyna scoffed "And how does that_ not_ sounds like slavery to you?"

"Well--"

Tamlen interrupted him "What's the next step, shemlen? Did they refused to give us food too?"

"Of course not--"

"I'm not going!" a dwarven voice exclaimed.

"Oghren..."

"I aint gonna to work for those sodding surfacers! There is still some dwarven pride inside me!"

"The boy and I are going to skip this one too. We already have a lot to do and we can't have anything extra."

Selyna let out one of her famous sighs "Are you positively **sure** that this is the only way?"

"It's either work for those humans or a two month long foot trip. You don't want that, no?" She saw Alistair giving Zevran a suspicious look. He surely wasn't expecting any help from the assassin, but one against five was quite unfair so he wasn't going to refuse any extra support.

Another sigh escaped her mouth "Shah, we'll go with the slave drivers." She turned her back towards Alistair in order to face the dwarves. "Oghren, take Shale and Sten with you and escort Bodahn and Sandal to Denerim. Take the main road and avoid bandit troupes and darkspawn as much as possible. In the nearest town you'll try to buy a horse, we have enough money to afford at least one or two horses. This would be enough to carry the wagon and it would speed up your travels." All three dwarves nodded in agreement and Selyna took off to tell Sten and Shale the happy news.

OOO

"Are we supposed to follow the drunken dwarf?"

"Shah, you are supposed to follow Sten." Selyna explained "I think he would be the best leader of you three and making Oghren leader would be the same as to trust a bird stop the Blight."

"I would crush all birds! Even if they're trying to stop the Blight!"

"And I would not doubt that you will crush Oghren as well."

"I do find the image of popping his soft little fleshy head off very satisfying."

Selyna smiled and walked over to the place where Sten kept watch. He was always the one who took the first shift, when the others were still awake. It was not like he wanted the time to talk with his fellow companions.

"Sten, the group is going to split up until we're in Denerim." He turned his head to look at her, she was the only one who still bothered talking to him "You'll take the lead over the second group which contains Shale and Oghren. Your job is to protect the dwarven merchants who travel with us." Her neck was hurting from looking up to the giant but she paid no attention to it. "Do you have a problem with this?"

"Of course not, Kadan."

OOO

He threw Selyna a white package, which she caught easily "Our uniform I presume?" she asked emotionless.

Tamlen sat down next to her "Khi, the merchants gave it to Alistair. They want to see us tomorrow as soon as the sun is up." The only response he got was a nod from her. Apparently she had found a very interesting point on her boots. She had been like this since she, Leliana, Wynne and Morrigan came back from the Tower of Magi "What happened inside that tower?" He asked.

"Nothing."

"Lethallin..." Two gold colored eyes glared at him "You're not scaring me away with that look like everyone else. I can do the same if I want to." She looked back at her boots. "Selyna..." He tried again while putting a hand on her shoulder. Much to his surprise she didn't shook it off like she always does. "Do still you remember that when we were younger we told each other everything?"

She looked at him from her eye corners. _At least I've got her attention._ "You can still tell me, the others have told us their dreams and how you've saved them but no one knew what happened to you..."

Selyna opened her mouth and spoke "A leader has to be strong in front of his or her group, do not show weakness or they will hesitate too."

Tamlen stood up "I know that, I've learned the same lessons as you did. But I'm not** just** someone of the group you have to lead, I'm also your friend" She gave him a quick look but he was already walking back to his tent. _If she's not going to talk, I'll better go get some sleep…_ he thought.

A few hours later he woke up when he heard a noise, instinctively his hand reached out for his sword. Someone tried to enter his tent, or maybe this someone was already inside. Tamlen pricked his ears, the camp was so silent that he could hear even the lightest things but now he heard someone nearby breathing lightly. This someone was probably someone who came from outside Fereldan, due the lack of wet dog smell. With Adahlen as his companion, he was getting used to the smell but not as used to it as in not smelling it._ Maybe Zevran decided to finish the job… _

Just when he was about to jump up a musical voice kept him from. "I had to kill them all..." Selyna said. Tamlen opened his eyes and propped himself up on an elbow to look at her. She was sitting near the entrance of his tent, her head was turned to the ground, her eyes closed. "Who did you need to kill?" he asked softly, while he was trying hard to ignore the fact that he was only wearing his leather pants.

"Everyone... Duncan... Our companions... Our clan..." Selyna looked up at him, her eyes were shimmering "You..." she whispered, a single tear escaped her eyes and ran slowly down her face.

He wanted to stand up, to walk over to her and take her into his arms, comfort her. But before he could do any of these things she was already gone. _Damnable rouges._

OOO

The three elves left camp just before dawn to report to their new employers. Apparently Alistair had forgot to mention a few other things, or he just hadn't knew about them. At first, the humans actually _were_ slave drivers. The elves who traveled with them had to work for them until they reached Denerim's Alienage and then were shipped to other countries to be sold. They weren't supposed to know this but a few elven slaves had told them anyway.

Second, the elves were not allowed to travel on horses in fear that they would escape. During the day they traveled in a wagon and at night their hands and feet were tied. At all moments there was a guard near them. As for the work they had to perform, they were lucky. They only needed to make supper, for over fifty mouths.

And third, only the leader of the group knew that they were trained warriors. To all the other guards and 'merchants' they were just a few other slaves who could cook. So they treated them as slaves as well. "Ma tauthau toetoi thi" Selyna muttered while poking in the camp fire, night had fallen and they had just finished making supper.

Zevran looked to his fellow elves on the side "What are you saying, my dear Warden?"

"It means that Alistair should watch his steps if he don't want an arrow or two perforating his skull." Tamlen muttered "and don't call her that."

He gave the other elf an amused look "Oh, and why not? Do I sense jealousy here, my friend?"

"Shah, you sense nothing! But she--"

Selyna interrupted him "You know... **She** is right here and **she** can hear everything you say."

"**Silence, elves!**"

"And there we have our personal guard, Wonderful." She rolled her eyes. The human ignored her and began to tie the elves up. A few minutes later a low male voice came from behind them "Wait, Derick" the voice said. The human, Derick stopped tying Selyna up, to look up at the other human. "What?" he asked annoyed.

"We're allowed to have some **fun**, right?" The humans asked, a grin appeared on his face. "This one looks kind of pretty, for an **elf**." He said while pointing to the she-elf. Derick rolled his eyes and left while the other human grabbed Selyna by her hair and forced her to stand up. Her hands were tied so she couldn't defend herself, Zevran and Tamlen were also tied so they couldn't help her.

"Leave me alone, shem!" Selyna snapped while spitting in the human's face. The man laughed, "That's what you're saying now... But once I'm done with you..."

"Don't you dare touching her, shemlen!" Tamlen almost yelled. The human laughed again, then he made his second mistake. The first one was obvious, the second was that, while he was laughing he loosened the grip on her hair.

As soon as she felt this she ducked under his hand, kicked him between the legs and smacked his legs out from underneath him. Too bad for him he landed with his face on a big stone. When he got up he was bleeding from several wounds on his head. "You elven whore!" while he spoke he spat blood in her face. "You're going to pay for this!" the human turned around and yelled towards the camp "**GUARDS! THIS ELF ATTACKED ME**!"

Tamlen and Zevran could only helplessly look at how their fellow elf was beat up and carried towards the big camp by four human guards.

OOO

"Dwarf!" Sten grunted

"What?"

"Stop tripping me."

"Stop tripping yerself!"

"If you were significant enough to notice, I wouldn't step on you."

"Oh, well..." the dwarf hesitated while raising his axe "yer mother!"

Sten blinked a few times while looking down at the dwarf "That was disappointing. I expected better from you."

"Sorry, I was in a rush." He responded, when he spoke he swung his axe and beheaded the last of the darkspawn troop that had attacked them.

OOO

"This is wonderful!" Leliana exclaimed while putting the spoon back in her soup. Strangely enough the soup reminded her somewhat to the times Selyna had cooked for them, but she couldn't find out why.

Wynne smiled "Traveling with the merchants is hardly as bad as we expected it to be."

"Tis strange that we have not seen our fearless leader or the other elves all day." Alistair looked at the witch. "The merchant told me that the elves travel with them on the wagon and they sleep on the other side of camp." Morrigan sniffed.

"Ah, come on Morrigan." Leliana said "We don't have to walk, supper is served and we sleep dry when others keep watch. Are you not at least enjoying this?"

"You don't have to watch over a dog and a wolf when their bosses are gone." She muttered in response.

OOO

With an evil grin on his face the human threw something at their feet that most resembled a rag doll covered with a dark-red liquid. "It's not fun when they don't scream." He noted "But let this be a lesson for all of you."

Much to his anger Tamlen identified the 'rag doll' as an unconscious Selyna. Her white uniform and ash blonde hair were soaked with blood. "Oh no...no..." Tamlen whispered weakly while he quickly checked her vital signs. Her pulse was weak, and her skin was awfully cold, but at least she was still alive.

After a few hours later Selyna groaned softly Tamlen and Zevran rushed to her side -as fast as one could when tied up- to help her. She refused their help and quickly turned to her chest, elbows supporting her, while coughing harshly, blood splattering onto the grass, slowly forming a thick pool.

"Selyna?" Tamlen asked when the coughing finally came to pause. "What-- How do you feel?"

"Bloody... Great..." she managed to get out before she paled and vomited up more blood, each cough robbing her of more and more blood.

"At least she still has her sense of humor, no?" Zevran noted, even his face looked concerned. He and Selyna had become good friends since he had joined the group.

When the coughing finally stopped she managed to sit up, ignoring all the pain her body was suffering. Apparently her mask was not as good as it used to be, Tamlen saw right through it. "What did they do to you?" he asked

"The usual" The she-elf answered weakly "Beating me up, experimenting with a dagger on my skin, some poison in the wounds, nothing deadly. They get **ir **frustrated when you keep quiet..." She started coughing blood again, Tamlen somehow managed to catch her before she hit the ground.

OOO

"Enchantment?"

"Well Sandal, we arrive in the big city by the end of tomorrow. Do you like to get a nice warm place to sleep after traveling for a month?" Bodahn asked.

"Enchantment!" The dwarven merchant chuckled at the boys response.

Oghren rolled his eyes in annoyment at the two of them. _Only thing that sodding kid ever says is Enchantment. Damnable nug humper should learn a language..._ He thought before standing up to switch watch with Shale."There was a man in the village who reminded me of the drunken dwarf." The Golem said when he arrived.

"They had some dwarves just like me, huh?" Oghren grunted.

"No. None of the dwarves were similar. They were quiet and respected, more or less." Shale noted "No, the one I remember was a human. He vomited in the street constantly. Then he wandered into a snowstorm and froze to death."

The dwarf frowned his brows "Huh? And how is that like me?"

"Did I say similar? I meant I hoped he was similar."

"I think I had a wife like ye, once."

OOO

"Who came with the marvelous idea to let the two best poison-makers in all of Fereldan make supper?" Zevran asked sarcastically when cutting the vegetables. The two other elves laughed, for first in a long time. There was not much to laugh about when you're being tortured on almost a daily base.

"I wouldn't feel sympathy for them if you two do poison them." Tamlen said. The humans had needed something to pass time when they stopped for the night. Torturing elves was their favorite game, and since neither of the three of them ever made a sound the guards saw it as a game to be the first one to let one of them scream.

Selyna was still worst off, the poison that was used the first time she had been tortured had prevented the wounds from healing. They opened up every time she made a wrong movement. Well at least none of the guards had tried to rape her again. The three of them had stopped a few weeks ago with trying to wash the blood out their clothes. It was only a matter of time before it was there again.

"Shue Khi." Selyna responded bitterly "Too bad we still need them."

"**You three! Shut up and continue your work!**"

Tamlen rolled his eyes "Our guard has spoken."

Later that night, six guards stopped before them. "Here, those are the elves I heard talking about poisoning us!" one of them exclaimed.

"We were joking, krild shemlen." Tamlen grunted, there were no leftovers for them today so they all were especially cranky.

"Then why is Perthos sick, huh?" the left handed human said.

"If we've poisoned the food, wouldn't there be more sick humans?"

One of the humans stepped forward and punched Selyna in her face "Don't bother trying to talk yourself out of this elf!" he yelled, to the other guards he said "Make them talk, we need to find the one who did this." A grin appeared on his face "You can use everything you can think of, but make sure you don't kill them."

They always got through the torture without making a noise, but not now. This night was the first night all three of them screamed. Everyone in camp knew that nobody had poisoned anyone. Perthos had the flu, and everyone knew it.

OOO

"Here" The leader of the slave-drivers handed Selyna three rolls of vellum. "Show these documents to the guards at the entrance of the city, they will let you in. You are allowed to carry weapons while in the city as long as you keep these with you. Your companions will meet you at the market place. On the edge of camp three horses are waiting. Take them with you."

Selyna rolled her eyes "Any reason why we can't travel with you anymore?" she asked, but she expected that she already knew the answer.

The human shrugged "If I try to enter the city and the people see you three, they are going to ask questions." He said before walking away.

"Surely they could have thought of that before they started the torture." Tamlen noticed dryly before the three of them walked to their horses.

The horse riding was a torture itself. Selyna had been one of the best halla riders back at the clan but these horses... She putted her food in the stirrup and threw her leg over the back of the horse. Suddenly the horse moved forward, she slipped out of the saddle and made a painful fall. Her wounds felt like they all opened at once, they probably were.

She gave Tamlen and Zevran an angry glare "Khi, I fall off horses. It's a thing I do." Still laughing, Tamlen helped her up while Zevran showed the two of them how to ride a horse. With the fresh new wounds the ride wasn't any fun for either of them.

OOO

"Warden!" Oghren greeted him along with a strong ale smell.

"He--" Alistair frowned his brow when she smelled the stench. "What? You're... you're drunk, aren't you?"

"Eh? Was that a question? It didn't sound like a question."

"How in the Maker's name do you manage to be constantly drunk? Are we even carrying that much alcohol with us?"

"Jealous, huh?" The dwarf laughed.

"A little, yes." The templar acted like he was disappointed "Why can't I be drunk all the time? I never get to be drunk."

"You know, if you drank more wine, you would whine much less."

"I'm sorry to break this heartwarming conversation..." A bitter voice came from behind them. "But we need to find Genetivi." All of them turned around at the same time to look at the one who had spoke to them. They all seemed to be shocked at the sight of the three of them.

Alistair's eyes went big "Selyna...? Tamlen...? Zevran...?" he stumbled.

Leliana covered her mouth with her hands "You guys look awful!" she exclaimed, she was right. Apart from the deep cuts all over their body and the blood soaked hair and clothes, Selyna was suffering from a high fever she had told no one about but it was showing. She was even paler then she used to be. All three of them had lost a lot of weight, even if they were making supper, they were not allowed to eat it. They had only got some food if everyone else was done, but only leftovers. Often they didn't got any food at all, then the humans had ate it all.

"Aneth ara to you too." Tamlen commented dryly, while the three of them dismounted their horses.

"What happened to you?" Wynne asked, her voice was filled with concern.

"We don't need your pity, shemlen. Now let's find this brother--" Selyna couldn't finish her sentence before she was overwhelmed by a severe coughing fit, that forced her through her knees. Blood spat on the ground, Tamlen quickly knelt besides her. "Oh, no not again..." He mumbled, it was the last thing she heard before everything went black.

* * *

End notes: I think this is quite a sad chapter... Well, the life of a Warden don't have to be a bed of roses. Next chapter are hopefully better times for our group. Well it's 1 a.m. so I'm stopping the end notes and going to bed xD. Oh, and Reviews are much appreciated ;)

**English-Elvish translation:**

Ir - Very

Khi - Yes

Shah - No

Krild - Stupid

Shemlen - Human

Shue Khi - I agree

Iy'neama - Be quiet

Aneth are - A social greeting.

Lethallan - Friend of mine. Used for males

Lethallin - Friend of mine. Used for females

Assan - Arrow (Name of Selyna's White wolf)

Ma tauthau toetoi thi - I'm (so) gonna kill him

Adahlen - Forest (Name of Tamlen's Mabari hound)


	8. Poison

**Author's notes: **Tee-hee another chapter is up! Warning: very much Elvish in this one =) Translations are on the bottom. I hope you like this chapter, Reviews are much appreciated. Oh, and if any people are reading this who can actually speak French (Orlesian) or Spanish (Antivan) better than me... My French is not really good, neither is my German but I'm not sure if I'm going to use German words, and my Spanish is rather bad xD. The only languages I speak fluently are Dutch and English so forgive me if I made any mistakes. Reviews are much Appreciated!

**Disclaimer: **Still not mine... Still no money...

* * *

**Never take the Antidote before the Poison**

The Grey Wardens, a world full of painful injuries and flashbacks

"Thank the Maker, you're awake." Wynne said with a warm smile on her face.

"This-- I didn't knew Denerim had a forest."

Alistair came into vision "No it hasn't. After you collapsed Wynne, Sten and Morrigan took the three of you back to camp to be able to heal you while the others and myself stayed behind to look for Genetivi. No offense, but you all looked like you were dragged through ten kinds of crap."

"That's one way to put it." _Krild headache. _"I can't remember..."

Wynne shook her head disapprovingly "The three of you passed out quickly in succession. You were exposed to a rare poison. The first dose is not deadly, but it keeps wounds from healing. Without a treatment you start bleeding internally and possibly get a mild fever." She shook her head again "Be glad you're not dosed twice, a second dose is extremely deadly."

"How long was I out?"

"About four days."

"But--"

Alistair interrupted "Before I forget, I need to tell you that we haven't exactly found Genetivi yet..." The templar was awarded with an angry glare "But we found someone who had killed his assisted and tried to replace him." He quickly continued "He gave us Genetivi's location, but it's on the other side of Fereldan..."

"Why telling me this? We should--" The elf hesitated "Shah, first-- how are the others?"

The mage turned her head to the entrance of the tent. "Zevran woke up a few minutes ago. He is going to be all right, if he takes it easy for a while like I said. Hmm... I probably have to treat him again in a few days..." she noticed absently.

"But how about..?"

Wynne's eyes turned sad "Tamlen, I did what I could but I'm not sure if she's going to make it."

OOO

When Wynne and Tamlen entered Selyna's tent they found Leliana and Morrigan. Without a word the two women stood up and left as they entered, there was not enough room for all of them. "Drink this." Leliana handed him a bowl with a weird bright-blue liquid before she left the tent.

Tamlen did was he was asked. The potion tasted awful, he had a hard time trying not to vomit. "This... is even worse than Alistair's stew." He commented when he finally had managed to drink all of it.

"It's a antidote Leliana has made. It neutralizes the poison but we've noticed when Zevran drank it that it also effects your voice. So try not to talk too much." Wynne said while she sat down next to a large pile of blankets, he sat on the other side of the pile.

"She was suffering from a high fever. We were all glad when the temperature dropped but..." He saw that even underneath all the blankets Selyna was still shaking. "Now she is freezing, It's like her blood has turned into ice."

Tamlen putted a hand on the she-elf's head, she really was as cold as ice. "Why didn't you gave her the antidote?" He noticed that his voice was nothing more than a whisper and it gave him a hard time to talk. _Note to self: Never take another 'antidote' from a shemlen._

The mage gave him a disapproving look, like she could hear what he was thinking. "If we give it her now, she would probably choke on it. No, we need to wait until she is awake before we give it to her." Wynne looked back at the shivering Selyna "The problem is that if she doesn't wake up before dawn, it would be too late."

Later, when Wynne left he saw the others standing outside the tent. All looked concerned and they all probably wanted to see Selyna. Tamlen could have sworn some of them looked disappointed when only Wynne exited, so only one could enter the tent. He couldn't care less, he wouldn't leave her side until she woke. A weak smile appeared on his face when he saw Assan slipping through the entrance and crawling under the blankets. Apparently the wolf had the same idea as he had.

OOO

"_Lethallin! Hainea, vir Inl'tartes" He turned his head to where Selyna was a few moments ago, but much to his surprise she wasn't there anymore. Tamlen frowned his brows "...Lethallin?"_

_From out of nowhere she suddenly appeared a few inched in front of him. __Tamlen gasped and while jerking away instinctively, he tripped awkwardly over a branch. A musical laugh greeted him as he fell on the ground. "Shue li'nsi hashla shouet Dalish Shuinla lacse unirata?" Selyna teased with a playful smile still on her lips._

"_Shue shah'ti__!" He replied when he stood up again, glaring daggers at her. Normally the glaring only made her laugh even more, but now she just stood there, with tilted head like she was listening to something. "Il'neama stil?"_

_She suddenly turned to the west and started walking in that direction, even though their camp was in the east. "__Animalia__" she whispered when he caught up with her. _

_Noiselessly they walked through the forest, he trusted Selyna to lead them to the animal. She had a talent for finding wounded animals, most of the times she tried to heal the ones she came across or killed them out of mercy._

_As they came closer to the howling he felt that something else was there. Tamlen putted his hand on her shoulder in order to stop her, when he saw she was going to protest he putted a finger to her lips and whispered a single word. "Shemlen" He thought he'd saw her blushing while she readied her bow, but chose not to tell her. It was getting dark and he could have easily imaged it._

_About twenty feet ahead of them they saw two shemlen hunters. Selyna's face went dark, without hesitation she released the arrow she had on her bow. A second later they heard a gargling sound as one of the shem's sank through his knees, the arrow sticking through his neck. _

_Quickly Tamlen took the other shemlen out and they both walked over to their kills to collect the arrow they'd shot. Selyna's arrow broke when she tried to pull it out of the spine but she didn't seem to care. When she started walking away again he quickly pulled his arrow out of the shem's heart and followed her._

"_Vir taoensli kilonda atish sahan'la" Hunters under the age of sixteen were not allowed to hunt in the dark._

_Selyna looked up to the red sky above them and chuckled "Nimata" He rolled his eyes in return._

_They'd found the source of the howling a few minutes after the sun was truly set. It came from a white wolf who was caught in a bear trap. Selyna freed the animal and bound some healing herbs around her paw._

_The wolf had followed her since that moment._

OOO

When Wynne entered the tent again she overheard Tamlen's whispers. "Hunting uplifts the spirit. Breathe out the poisons of tension, stress and worry; breathe in the power of the Creators. Send forth little silent prayers of compassion toward those you meet. Hunt with a sense of being a part of a vast universe. Hunt in awe, wonder, and humility. Hunt, but show mercy at all times of day. In the early morning when the world is just waking up. Late at night under the stars. Deep in the silent forest at noontime."

He took a deep breath and continued "Andruil, Sister of the Moon, Mother of Hares, Lady of the Hunt. Watch over the ones that honor you. Watch over the ones that live by the Vir Tanadhal, the Way of Three Trees."

Tamlen lowered his voice even more, so she couldn't hear him when he spoke his own prayer "Andruil, watch over your daughter Selyna tonight."

His voice turned normal again -well, as normal as ones voice can sound when it is turned into a whisper because of some stupid shem's antidote- when he said the last words "As we are the Dalish: keepers of the lost lore, walkers of the lonely path. We are the last of the Elvhenan, and never again shall we submit."

"That's a rather odd line to finish a prayer." Wynne looked sat down on the other side of Selyna as she continued "It was a prayer, right?"

Tamlen nodded absently but didn't spoke. "Then why use it?" she asked.

The elf looked at her with gold-colored eyes. "I don't think it's odd, shem!" He snapped. On a more normal tone he continued "We Dalish pray to the god we honor with our Vallaslin. Selyna and I honor Andruil, Goddess of the hunt. The prayers we say are addressed to her."

He looked back at Selyna and as he moved a strand of hair out of her face his eyes slowly regained their original color. "The first part of the prayer is common but different when addressed to another God. The second part is addressed to Andruil only, when we got our vallaslin we learned to say this in our prayer. We don't know what those who honor different gods say here and we're not allowed to know."

She wanted to ask another question but she knew she had to be patient with him. "The third part of the prayer is personal, it's sacred as the body of the immortal."

"Immortal?"

Tamlen frowned his eyebrows at her interruption. "Long ago, our ancestors found that the very presence of the humans, or "quicklings," caused the once immortal elves to age and die, they attempted to isolate themselves." Tamlen snorted "We both know how that ended."

The elf glared at her, she couldn't blame him. After a while he continued "Lately Dalish elf's lifespans are slowly starting to get longer as they spend more time away from Humans. We already live to be much older than our city cousins and Humans. However many think that we will never truly gain our agelessness back until we have our own homeland where we can truly regain our ancient lore and culture, Krild..."

"Why is this Krild?" Leliana asked as she entered the tent with some food of the three of them.

"Stupid. The youngest of our clan have fully regained our immortality."

"Youngest?" Wynne asked, when she got a strange premonition. "Exactly how young?"

"I am the second. Feneral, a hunter from my clan third. Selyna was the fourth and since then every new elf born in our clan is immortal."

Leliana frowned her brows "Exactly how old are you? If I may ask."

"Twenty-three and before you ask, Selyna is twenty-two."

"But if both of you are that young then how do you know that you are immortal?"

"That I can't tell you. If you were of dalish origin you would understand."

"Does Zevran understand?"

Tamlen gave Leliana an angry gold-eyed look "Shah! even if his mother was Dalish he is a flat-ear! Nothing more than a pet for shemlen." Leliana took this as a sign that she was no longer welcome and took her leave. Tamlen looked back at Wynne "You said before that you found the last part of the prayer odd. That's because it's not prayer but an oath."

OOO

"_Da'len" _

"_Khi, Keeper?" _

"_I want you and Tamlen to go check the traps before we cross the border with Orlais." Selyna nodded and went out to find Tamlen. She found him near his father's aravel. _

"_Lethallan! __Ouana thout thni!" He smiled at her__ and soon they were on their way to check the traps. It was the first task the Keeper had given to them since they both got their vallaslin five days ago. After they had checked almost all traps she slipped over the mud-covered ground, Tamlen chuckled. "Thiltana sirh vir inna lith Orlais?" _

"_Khi, Fereldan shiversan ehn nima... sni" She responded while he helped her getting up._

_A sudden yelp made them both look around. The sound seemed to come from somewhere near the last trap they needed to check. Selyna looked at Tamlen "Shue itana vhi. Ilas migara'sha thni." He nodded and went to check the other traps while she checked the source of the one who'd made the sound._

_When she got to the last clearing where they had placed the last two traps she immediately saw the one who had made the sound. The first trap had caught a deer, __in one movement she slit the animal's throat before turning to the next trap._

_She saw a shemlen, probably a scholar hanging from a tree with the rope from the trap about his ankles. He looked like how she saw most shemlen, ridicules. He was defenseless, upside down with his robe over his head, underclothes on display. Selyna shook her head and began to collect wood for a fire. What threat is a silly shemlen with his pants showing? She thought._

_And so she sat, made a small fire, and began to skin the deer she had caught. After a while the shem mustered the courage to speak. "I'm not here to harm you." He said._

_Selyna laughed "If you were to harm me, you have failed terribly."_

_While she continued to skin the deer she and the shemlen began talking. Well, maybe talking wasn't the right word. The shemlen asked her questions and occasionally she would deign to answer. He was curious but at least he respected that she didn't answer all of his questions._

"_What are you going to do with me?"_

_"..."_

"_Is your clan around here?"_

_"..."_

"_Isn't it easier to set out bear traps instead of the ones with rope?"_

"_It is, but we're not willingly to let our prey suffer. Shemlen on the other hand don't seem to have a problem with that."_

_The scholar nodded. "That's true, sadly" He appeared to think over a next question to ask. After a few moments of silence he asked "Do you hunt alone?"_

_"..."_

"_What do you usually do when you find humans?"_

"_Some Dalish actively seek out human travelers to rob or frighten, but most of my people would rather be left alone." She looked up to the scholar "Most of the time we only kill humans to protect ourselfs or our clan. Punishing humans for past actions only leads to more violence." She didn't tell him that her clan killed almost all humans they came across. Something told her that this wouldn't be the best thing to say to a human._

_This seemed to surprise the human. "May I see your clan's camp?"_

"_No"_

"_Are you a member of one of the clan's in Fereldan or Orlais?"_

_This human is full of questions... "I am, like most of us, born in Orlais, if that's what you're asking." She tilted her head at him "But my clan spends most of their time in Fereldan."_

"_What is the meaning of the intricate tattoos on your face?" _

"_They are called vallaslin, it means blood writing. Mine are symbols of Andruil the Huntress, one of the most highly revered elven goddesses, and Vir Assan, the way of the arrow. The Dalish mark themselves to stand out from humans and from those of our kin who have chosen to live under human rule. The vallaslin reminds my people that they must never again surrender their beliefs."_

"_What is Vir Assan?"_

"An_ extra, arrow shaped, stripe on the nose bridge represents the Vir Assan, the way of the arrow. __Be swift and silent; Strike true, do not waver. And let not your prey suffer.__ Others have curls or stripes around their mouth corners, they represent the __Vir Bor'assan: the Way of the Bow. As the sapling bends, so must you. In yielding, find resilience; In pliancy, find strength.__ And some have signs on their chin, they represent the __Vir Adahlen: the Way of the Wood. Receive the gifts of the hunt with mindfulness. Respect the sacrifice of my children Know that your passing shall nourish them in turn. These three ways are called The Way of Three Trees. It are the teachings that Andruil gave us."_

_When she finished skinning the deer, she cut the human down. By the time he had righted himself and conquered the dizziness of all the blood rushing out of his head, she was gone._

OOO

Assan growled as someone entered the tent. Tamlen didn't even have to look up to know who it was, only one man he knew was this massive _and_ clumsy on his feet. "This is all your fault." He said while Alistair stood still next to him.

"How could I possibly have known that this would happen?"

Tamlen gave the human such an angry glare that he actually took a few steps back. "How could you have known?! We told you that they were slavers! We hadn't even met them! We knew for sure that they were slavers after we talked to them for a two minutes!" Tamlen's voice was raw and somewhere he knew that yelling probably was the last thing he should be doing but that didn't kept him from.

"So, okay my human instinct betrayed me! Don't act like you're the one who always is right!"

The elf snorted "I didn't knew that humans actually _have_ an instinct."

Alistair's eyes went big "YOU--" He started but was cut off when someone else entered the tent. "Alistair, leave." Zevran's voice was only slightly better than his, but still demanding. The templar did what he was told and left the tent. But not before mumbling something that sounded most like "Sodding knife-ears."

OOO

_Tamlen and Selyna were sitting on the wooden fence, watching the halla. She gave him a smiled. "Ilas ni measa--"_

_"**Selyna**!" The she-elf cringed and looked over her shoulder to her furious guardian. "Err... Khi, Ashalle..?" She asked, hesitating._

_"Combien de fois dois-je vous dire?! Parler la langue commune!"_

_Selyna bit her lip while trying hard to ignore Tamlen laughing on the background. "__Je suis désolé, Ashalle." __She knew that she had to speak Orlesian when they were in Orlais but she preferred to speak Elvish anyway. When the older elf left she gave Tamlen an angry look "Silence" of course he only laughed harder after she'd said that._

_"I'm sorry, Lethallin" Tamlen said, still with a wide grin on his face. She rolled her eyes and looked over her shoulder to see if Ashalle was out of earshot before she responded. "I hate Orlesian. It's even worse than Fereldish." _

_"How about Antivan?"_

_"Except from buenos días I don't speak a word of that." This made them both laugh until they heard someone rasping her throat to get their attention. _

_Ashalle was back, carrying a large wooden bucket. "Ici" She said as she threw the bucket towards Selyna, she caught it but the weight almost made her fall of the fence. Selyna tilted her head questioning at Ahalle. "Nourrir les Halla." She said before walking off again. _

_"Wonderful" Selyna noticed while jumping of the fence and rolling her eyes "The two best hunters of the clan, now performing the honorable task of feeding the halla."_

_"'You', have to feed the halla, Lethallin. I don't--" Before he could finish his sentence Ashalle threw him a bucket halla-feed as well. He caught it but in surprise he actually fell of the fence. Ashalle gave him a disapproving look before turning around and walking off to her aravel. _

_He stood up and took the bucket from the ground, luckily he hadn't spilled any of it. "Why do I get the feeling that she really hates me?" He asked, not expecting an answer._

_"She doesn't hate you, Lethallan. She is just a bit cranky today." Selyna noticed while letting one of the halla eat the feed she putted in her hand._

_"But she's always like this."_

_"Okay... maybe she... doesn't like you. There is a huge difference between dislike and hate, you know?" _

_He shook his head as he began to feed the halla as well. "What reasons does she have to 'dislike' me?" he mumbled._

_"Because you're hanging around me for twenty years and giving me doe-eyed looks, but are too afraid to 'pop the question'" Selyna mumbled under her breath. It was true, Ashalle had told her that same morning._

_Tamlen frowned his brows when looking up "Did you just say something?" He asked._

_Selyna's cheeks turned bright red as she answered "Err... No, nothing."_

OOO

"Would you mind if I asked you what the Vir Tanadhal are?"

Tamlen hesitated, Wynne was one of the few humans he actually liked to talk to and without her he and Selyna would have probably died already. "Shah, I wouldn't mind."

After a few minutes of silence Wynne smiled. "Then what are they?"

"The Vir Tanadhal, the Way of Three Trees are the teachings Andruil gave us." He answered, not noticing how much he sounded like Selyna when she told the scholar the same five years ago. He looked back to Selyna, holding her hand and caressing the top with his thumb when he said the Vir Tanadhal for Wynne. All dalish, and especially the immortal had to learn the Vir Tanadhal so that they would never forget it.

"Hear me, sons and daughters of the People--  
I am Sister of the Moon, Mother of Hares,  
Lady of the Hunt: Andruil.

"Remember my teachings,  
Remember the Vir Tanadhal:  
The Way of Three Trees  
That I have given you.

"Vir Assan: the Way of the Arrow  
Be swift and silent;  
Strike true, do not waver  
And let not your prey suffer.  
That is my Way.

"Vir Bor'assan: the Way of the Bow  
As the sapling bends, so must you.  
In yielding, find resilience;  
In pliancy, find strength.  
That is my Way.

"Vir Adahlen: the Way of the Wood  
Receive the gifts of the hunt with mindfulness.  
Respect the sacrifice of my children  
Know that your passing shall nourish them in turn.  
That is my Way.

Remember the Ways of the Hunter..." Tamlen's voice trailed off when he felt a light squeeze in his hand. With a light frown he looked down in Selyna's blue eyes. He smiled when she weakly spoke the last words of the Vir Tanadhal:

"And I shall be with you."

* * *

**End notes: **Say hello to Elvish flashbacks! You probably didn't understand a word of what Selyna and Tamlen were saying to each other in the flashbacks, did you? xD Well because I'm in a good mood I have placed an extra translator for the flashback conversations so that you guys could understand everything. Reviews are appreciated, can't remember if I already said that in the Author's note but I honestly don't care =P. Hurrah! I'm cheery today! Sorry, I stop acting like an idiot now and instead I start writing the next chapter.

**Translation, Flashback one **

Lethallin! Hainea, vir Inl'tartes! - Lethallin! Come on, we have to leave!

Shue li'nsi hashla shouet Dalish Shuinla lacse unirata? - I thought that you'd said that a Dalish hunter fears nothing?

Shue shah'ti! - I do not!

Il'neama stil?- What do you hear?

Animalia - Aminal

Shemlen - Human

Vir taoensli kilonda atish sahan'la - We are supposed to get to the clan before sunset

Nimata - Too late now

**Translation, Flashback two**

Da'len - Child

Khi Keeper? - Yes, Keeper?

Lethallan! Ouana thout thni! - Lethallan! We're on trap duty!

Thiltana sirh vir inna lith Orlais? - Glad that we're going back to Orlais?

Khi, Fereldan shiversan ehn nima... sni - Yes, Fereldan is cold and smells... weird.

Shue itana vhi. Ilas migara'sha thni - I deal with that. You check the other traps.

**Translation, Flashback three**

Ilas ni measa - You know wh (Elvish, interrupted)

Combien de fois dois-je vous dire?! Parler la langue commune! - How many times must I tell you?! Speaking the common language! (Orlesian/French)

Je suis désolé, Ashalle - I am sorry, Ashalle (Orlesian/French)

Silence - Silence (Orlesian/French)

Buenos días - Good Morning (Antivan/Spanish)

Ici! Nourrir les Halla - Here! Feed the Halla (Orlesian/French)

**English-Elvish translation:**

Khi - Yes

Shah - No

Krild - Stupid

Shemlen - Human

Vallaslin - Blood writing.

Lethallan - Friend of mine. Used for males

Lethallin - Friend of mine. Used for females

Assan - Arrow (Name of Selyna's White wolf)

Adahlen - Forest (Name of Tamlen's Mabari hound)


	9. If Things Were Different

**Author's notes**: Now I've wrote this chapter I'm going to have a little break to study for my exams. Due all the writing and doing 'nice stuff' I didn't really do my school work and with the exams next week I really need to start studying. Next chapter is coming up after my exams, so in three weeks I guess. Sorry I don't like it either =(

**Disclaimer: **Wish it was mine, but no...

* * *

**If Things Were Different**

The Grey Wardens, a world full of strange meetings

"I don't think it's a good idea for you to be up yet."

"Iy'neama Alistair, or must I remember you to the fact that this was all your fault in the first place?" Selyna putted on her other boot and walked out of the tent. "If I do, I may get upset and pin you to a tree."

Alistair let out a nervous laugh "Err... no I'm fine with both feet on the ground."

Selyna sent him a beaming smile "Wonderful! Now attack me." She said while unsheathing her Dar'Misu and Dar'Misaan.

He blinked a few times "...What?"

"Do I speak Elvish? Come on, attack me."

"Huh...? Why?"

She tilted her head "You're not really a bright one, aren't you? I've just lain down for five days straight and haven't hold a weapon since... well... since... prior the trip to Denerim we don't talk about."

"B-But...you're.....y-you're still recovering..." he stumbled.

"I know. I need exercise. Now, draw your weapon."

"You want to fight me? Just like that?"

The she-elf let out a sigh "Shah, I want to practice. Huge difference."

"But..."

"Oh, come on it will be fun!"

Alistair held up his hands and took a few steps backwards "So you can kill me out of hidden rage? No thanks, I bruise easily."

"You're wearing Heavy Chainmail, I think it can protect you from the slender, still recovering elf in the Dailish armor." Before he could protest again Selyna struck with her Dar'Misu and Alistair had to pull his shield up to prevent himself from getting injured. "Hey!" Alistair cried "Not fair!"

"Oh, be a man and pull your sword!"

OOO

"Do you think it's a good idea for her to be up yet?" Tamlen looked up at the Bard before looking back at Selyna who was still trying to convince Alistair to spar with her. "Who, Selyna?" He smiled "At this moment I'm more concerned about Alistair."

"_Oh, come on it will be fun!"_

"O" Leliana chuckled as she sat down next to him. "And why is that?"

"Selyna can be quite... persuasive if she wants to." He looked to the side and saw the bard giving him a wide grin. The elf's eyes went big "N-No! No! I..d-don't...I....She..err..j-just...No!" Tamlen growled in desperation "I don't mean it like that!"

Leliana's smile only got wider "Like what? Surely I didn't say something."

"Shah, but w-what... wait, why are you smiling like that? You did this on purpose, no?"

"Maybe" the bard replied with a still growing smile. "I just think you two are a cute couple."

Tamlen brought the palm of his hand to his forehead "W-We're not really talking about this, are we? For the last time we are NOT a couple." He heard her giggling next to him, but before he could reply they heard the sound of metal on metal and right after that Alistair's cries _"__**Hey!**__ Not fair!"_

Selyna cocked her head to the side_ "Oh, be a man and pull your sword!" _Tamlen was glad to see a chance to slip away from this embarrassing conversation and rushed over to the two arguing Wardens.

"No!" Alistair stubbornly repeated. "And stop attacking me!"

The elf shook his head while unsheathing his own sword and unhooking the shield from his back "Lethallin, leave the poor shem alone, you have scared him enough." Selyna shrugged, while giving him a smile. Alistair was only relieved that he didn't had to fight her and went to sit next to the bard.

"They're so cute together!" Leliana exclaimed, luckily neither one of the elves seemed to have heard her.

Alistair gave her a disapproving look "Don't you ever listen? They're not 'together'"

Leliana clasped her hands in front of her in excitement "Oh, but they both want to be! Can't you see it?" With raised eyebrows he looked back at the two elves.

"They're beating the crap out of each other."

"Look further than that!"

He shook his head "Elves are... kind of hard to read to me. Especially those two."

"Trust me. They just need some help."

A wide grin appeared on his face as he looked to his female companion. "Where are you thinking of, Leliana?" She giggled in response and began to tell him her plan.

OOO

After a short day of traveling the group decided to camp up. None of them really wanted to travel too long and, apart from that, Wynne was still very protective over the three elves and refused to let them walk any further. Just as Selyna had finished setting up her tent she heard someone coming up from behind.

"Oh, Selyna?"

Leliana sing-song tone made her look around, as soon as she saw the wide grin on her face Selyna knew that the human was up to no good. "Khi, Leliana?"

"Do you know what day it is?" She asked innocently.

_Now there is an odd question_ "Err... Tuesday?" She guessed.

"And what does that mean..?"

"Tomorrow is... Wednesday?"

The bard shook her head intensely "No, who cooks on Tuesdays..?" Selyna's face paled as she answered "Alistair"

"There you go." She smiled "Would you take him out hunting for me?"

"What? Why?"

"Because, if I have to eat one more of his stews I'm leaving, and I know that I'm not the only one who thinks like that."

"But Alistair can't hunt!"

"You can teach him."

"That would take forever!"

"Then take Tamlen with you, maybe he can help." The bard battered her eyelashes "Pretty please?"

"B-But..."

"Please?"

"B-But..."

"Please..?" Selyna closed her eyes as she let out a sigh "Okay I'll do it. But stop the battering eyelashes. That doesn't work on me, only on men. I know, I use the same trick often enough."

"I bet you would, with the long eyelashes you have I think you can let a man do anything for you."

A frown appeared on her head "What is that supposed to mean?"

"Oh, nothing!" The bard exclaimed as she cheerfully skipped away.

"Humans..." the she-elf muttered before she went to search Alistair and Tamlen.

OOO

"Hey, elf. You're alllllllll right."

Selyna raised her brows as she walked past Oghren, who was keeping watch "Am I?"

"Aye. I was thinking, I was thinking that you're... you're just all right."

As he talked she smelled a strong ale stench "Drunk again, Oghren?" It wouldn't be the first time he was drunk on his watch, and it surely wasn't the last.

He snorted "'Drunk again, Oghren?' You sound like my father. He was all, 'You're drunk; stop wetting on the table.'"

"How dare he."

"Least my mom had the good sense to hide the booze from him. So, you know, she could drink where he couldn't see her." He laughed while the she-elf rolled her eyes.

"That's heartwarming."

"It is. Now tell me wha' are ye going to do?" he asked, with new found grumpiness in his voice.

She smiled "Hunt, or do you want Alistair to cook again?"

"By the tits of my ancestors, NO!"

"**HEY**!" Apparently the templar was not really happy with all the comments on his cooking.

"Do you have to tease Alistair like that?" Tamlen asked her with a grin.

"Of course, he is like an older brother. The older, annoying, stinky, extraordinary clumsy, looking nothing like me, with an unhealthy obsession with his hair, can't cook and hands me over to slave drivers kind of brother. It's my duty to tease him in any kind of way."

Alistair frowned, not sure if he had to take that as a good thing or not "Err... Thanks?"

"Well, just checking. Last time we let ye three alone we ended up with that" The dwarf snorted and gestured towards Zevran "we don't want mistakes like that happening again."

"I promise you Durgen'len, I won't take any other people who are trying to kill me back from our hunting trip."

He grunted "Better be."

The rouge putted a hand over her heart "You have my word."

Hunting with Alistair was even worse then she had originally thought. At least Tamlen had traded his heavy chainmail for a full leather armor, but the templar had refused to change. The sound that his chainmail made when they moved around the forest chased away all animals, almost just as much as his constant complaining when he got stuck (again) between the trees or tripped over a branch (again). And not even start about his archery skills...

They were already a few hours on their way and the only animals they had seen were Adahlen and Assan, and the few rabbit Assan managed to catch. But like always the wolf wasn't planning to share. Just when Selyna was about to compliment Alistair on finally having found something about him that was even worse than his cooking she bumped into him as he suddenly stopped walking. "Ow-- Alistair!"

"Shhh!" He turned his head around "I heard something."

"There is nothing here." Tamlen said "You've scared away all the animals with your--"

Alistair cut him off "There it is again!" he said when he quickly turned around "Stay here." he said before running off to some point in the forest.

"Alistair, there isn't--"

"Never mind, Lethallan. He isn't going to listen." They had no choice but to wait until Alistair returned.

Tamlen rolled his eyes "Why did you insist to take him with us?"

"It wasn't my idea. If I had known it would be like this I wouldn't have brought him in the first place." She pointed out as she sent Assan behind the shem to keep him out of trouble.

"Then whose idea was it?"

"Leliana's. Is it just me or is she really acting kind of strange lately?"

Tamlen thought back to his conversation with the bard that morning. "Err.. No I haven't noticed anything." He responded while rubbing his neck and silently praying to the Creators that she couldn't see him blush.

But she did, "Ahhh, you're blushing..." The rouge teased.

"I am not!" he exclaimed.

"Khi, you are" she thoughtfully tabbed her finger on her chin "Now why is that, I wonder. You started blushing when I started talking about Leliana acting strange..." An evil grin appeared on her face "You like her don't you?"

"What?" Tamlen nearly yelled while taking a large step towards her "I do not! She is a shem for Creators sake!"

Selyna chuckled "I jest, don't worry Lethallan."

"O"

Awkward silence.

"Ehm, Tamlen?" She tried after a few moments.

"Khi?"

"You can take a step back now."

He looked at her and suddenly noticed that he _was_ actually standing _very_ close to her. "Oh! Err... right." The elf stuttered, but didn't move. She didn't really care, it was quite comfortable having him so close. She could almost feel the heat of his body through the armor and the few inches of air between them.

A few moments passed by, while they enjoyed the simplicity of just standing there, staring in each other's eyes, their bodies nearly touching. After that, common sense came along. _Err…_ w_hy isn't he backing away? Maybe he likes you, is that so bad? No… I like him too, he is a great friend. Don't you want to be more than friends? No… of course not, I don't like him as more than a friend. You do. No, I don't! Yes, you do! Okay, maybe but what if he doesn't feel the same? No, can't tell him. Just tell him, or else you will never know. No! Tell him! No! Just say something already! _"Uh... I--A... A-Alistair will probably be back soon." _Stupid._

"Huh?" Tamlen blinked a few times. Suddenly his eyes went big and he quickly took a few steps backwards, stumbling an apology. Selyna was about to say something back when they suddenly heard a twitch snap. It was just a little disturbance but it was enough for them, someone was coming and it was not Alistair.

Silently they drew their weapons, which provided a giggle from somewhere near them. "There on to us now... Well no reason to hide anymore then, right?" A mystical voice sounded between the trees.

"You're right Melissa..." A male voice sounded back "There is no reason--" As fast as she could Selyna turned around, pulled an arrow out of her quiver, placed it on her bow and released it into a tree. "Owch!" They heard the sound of someone falling out of the tree, but no sound that would indicate that he had fallen on the ground. This man must be very fast on his legs...

"Hey! It's not nice to just shoot people like that!" A cocky voice sounded.

Selyna rolled her gold eyes "It's not nice to ambush people either."

"Ambush?"

"Selyna!" The two elves heard Alistair running through the forest to get to them. Almost there he tripped over a branch and landed on his face. "We're surrounded!" He said while quickly getting up again.

"Well, thanks for pointing out the obvious..." Before he could response she felt someone grabbing her wrist, jerking her away from where she stood, and not a second too soon. The ground where she once stood was now pierced by a rather large dagger. "Ma serannas, Tamlen" She mumbled when the elf released her wrist.

"Neria, Stop throwing daggers at our guests!" The woman who had been called Melissa sighed.

"She shot Daylen!" the cocky voice pointed out.

"I'm still alive here, ladies."

Neria didn't sounded pleased "She shot Daylen and _missed!_" Tamlen noticed a shadow moving close to the trees they were standing, a second later the 'shadow' had a dagger through her clothes that pinned her to one of the trees. "Not fair!" Neria exclaimed as she tried to pull her dagger out of the wood. "Using my own weapon against me like that. Tsk."

"If I hadn't known better I could have sworn that I heard Zevran speaking there."

Selyna frowned at Alistair "Since when do you think that Zevran is a women?"

"I said if I hadn't known better, luckily I do."

"Okay, we surrender." Melissa said as she stepped away from the tree she had been hiding behind. When she dropped her sword and shield in order to looked at the Wardens a grin appeared on her face. "Look, Neria! Elves, people you're actually willing to speak to!"

"Quit, shem!" Neria hissed. "And why do you surrender? We could have taken them!"

"And kill the people we're looking for? Great logic..." Daylen pointed out, his voice still came from somewhere in the forest.

The three Wardens looked at each other "Are we missing something here?" Alistair asked, confusion obviously in his voice.

"I suppose some introductions are in order."

"That would be nice." Selyna replied.

Melissa slightly shook her head before beginning her introductions "I am Melissa Cousland, daughter of the Teyrn of Highever, I used to be a member of one of the most powerful noble houses in Ferelden. Some 'friend' of my father and his 'delayed' army had the idea to change this." Her voice darkened a bit before she turned towards the other female member of her group. "This is--"

"I can introduce myself just fine, thank you." Melissa rolled her eyes, a gesture that, even in the dark night was still visible "I am Neria Tabris, from the beautiful Alienage of Denerim" She said sarcastically, still trying to pull her dagger out of the tree "Why I'm not there anymore? I killed the Arl's son for ramping my friend, trying to rape me and some other things." Selyna walked over to the elf, pulling the dagger out of the wood in one movement. Neria mumbled her thanks and continued "I have two rules I follow. The first is, never kill someone without a reason. The second, you can always find a reason to kill someone."

"Sounds a lot like a certain person we know..." Alistair mumbled.

"You should introduce her to Zevran." Tamlen whispered back.

"I'm not even that cruel."

"The man you'd heard is Daylen, he is a Circle Mage and probably somewhere over there..." Melissa looked past Alistair to the place Selyna's arrow had been shot at "Daylen! Get your ass over here and introduce yourself"

"B-But...I....But...The....Oh, Damn!" The mage let out a growl "Well I am Daylen Amell" He said on a calmer tone, still not visible to them. "I have spent most of my life secluded in the remote tower of the Circle of Magi to be trained and watched closely by the sympatric and good-willed templars. Passed my Harrowing in record time, became a full mage and was expelled a few hours after that for helping the First Enchanter to catch my best apprentice-friend and his priest-girlfriend when he destroyed his phylactery. My best friend appeared to be a Blood Mage as well and he escaped without much trouble. The templars were... not happy."

"That would be a bit of an understatement, I think." Alistair grinned.

"A bit, they were furious." The mage let out a sigh "Now, would someone please help me down? The stupid arrow that the elf shot at me caught me in my robe. And I really don't like the feeling of all my blood streaming towards my head."

"Too bad, it would help your brain to work." Neria muttered under her breath, Selyna grinned as she was the only one who had heard the comment. "We have introduced ourselves to you." Melissa noted, not bothering to help Daylen "It would only be fair if you shall do the same."

"I am Selyna Mahariel, this is Tamlen Ilen. We are Dalish hunters from the clan of Marethari. This is Alistair..." Selyna hesitated, she realized that she barely knew the man enough to properly introduce him. "...Something, from... err... Somewhere in Fereldan..and.......err....something with a Chantry?"

"Thanks, Selyna. Next time I'll introduce myself" Alistair said, humor sounding through his voice. "And don't forget the part about us being Grey Wardens."

"Hello? Still hangin' here!" Daylen yelled. The she-elf shook her head and gestured Alistair to save the mage from the horrible faith of a light headache.

After a few minutes they heard Daylen's voice again "Thank you, I--" a blue flash appeared between the trees. "What was that?" The mage asked "Was that magic? It didn't feel like magic. Wait... Where is my magic?" The mage let out a groan as he walked to his group "Melissa, guess what? I found another templar."

"Again?" The warrior let out a sigh "You're like a magnet."

"Lucky me."

Selyna rolled her eyes "You mentioned something about that you were looking for us?"

"A man who called himself Duncan, has wrote all of us a letter. He told that we could join the Grey Wardens and he should meet us in the forest near Denerim, two months after Ostagar if we were interested. As you probably have noticed, he is a bit late."

The she-elf shrugged "Can't blame him, he is dead."

"How unfortunate." Neria said.

"But you are not. You're fighting against the archdemon and the blight." Selyna nodded and the noble woman continued "Then take us with you."

OOO

"Oghreeen?" She asked on the sweetest tone she could manage.

"What?" The dwarf asked grumpy.

"Do you still remember the promise I made about not taking any other people who are trying to kill me back from the hunting trip?" The dwarf belched, that was probably a 'yes'. Selyna looked at Tamlen, both of the elves grinned "Well you're going to love this."

"Hello my stocky little friend!" Neria said as she appeared behind the other elves, she too had a big grin on her face.

Alistair shook his head disapprovingly as he walked past the elves, Daylen and Melissa on his heels. "So, Alistair how did it went?" Leliana asked when he sat down next to her in front of the fire.

"Not as planned, but we've found these three. Leliana, these are Melissa Cousland and Daylen Amell they travel with us from now on. Guys this is Leliana."

"Pleased to meet you." Melissa nodded while Daylen bowed his head lightly for the bard.

The four of them looked back to the three elves and Oghren. That last one was at the moment, amusing the elves by letting loose the longest string of the finest dwarven curses they would probably hear in their entire life. And that would be a long time, saying that Tamlen and Selyna are immortal.

"I don't understand." Alistair muttered "Half an hour ago they glared _and_ threw daggers at each other, and now the three of them are just... pestering Oghren."

"It's an elven/dwarven thing. You wouldn't understand." Zevran smirked just as Neria started laughing. He looked around to study the new elven companion "I wasn't aware such loveliness existed amongst adventurers." His smirk got wider "Amazing." He noted before walking away to be able to introduce himself properly to the elven lady.

"I'll better get some sleep."

"Oh, right" Alistair said as he looked to Melissa, "Take the tent over there, I set up another one for myself later." She awarded him with a greatful smile before taking off "...Oh, Alistair?" He found himself looking at Melissa's swaying hips as she walked off and quickly turned his back to Leliana. "Err.. did you just say something?"

She giggled "Yes, I asked you what went wrong."

The templar immediately understood what she meant "Surprisingly, they have brains." He noted sarcastically, on a lower tone so she could only hear him he continued "Nothing is going to happen if you just leave them alone."

"Then, we need to help them a bit more." The bard giggled.

* * *

**English-Elvish translation:**

Khi - Yes

Shah - No

Krild - Stupid

Shemlen - Human

Shue Khi - I agree

Iy'neama - Be quiet

Aneth are - A social greeting.

Durgen'len - Child of Stone (dwarf)

Lethallan - Friend of mine. Used for males

Lethallin - Friend of mine. Used for females

Assan - Arrow (Name of Selyna's White wolf)

Ma serannas **-** Essentially means "thank you"

Adahlen - Forest (Name of Tamlen's Mabari hound)

**Pst... See that button? Yeah, the one that says Review? Press it. You know you want to. It's like blue and pressable.**


	10. Keeping Track

**Author's Notes:** Now, I know it's been three years but I found this still on my computer. Tweaked it a bit and now it's a new chapter ;D

**Disclaimer:** One would think I would get somewhere in three years... but no, I still don't own Dragon Age.

* * *

**Keeping Track**

The Grey Wardens, a world full of confusion

Some days you wake up and walk out of your tent to see the orange morning sky above the forest. Some days you'll watch the sun rise, to welcome a new day. Some days you meditate. Some days you want to jump into the ice cold river, you know to start fresh. "Tamleeeeeeeen?" And some days, you just want to kill someone without having any proper reason.

Selyna looked at how the red-haired elf walked towards Tamlen, a wide smirk on her face "What is it, Neria?" he asked.

She looked up at him, the smirk still on her face. "Has anyone ever told you how handsome you are?" Tamlen's eyes went wide, and Selyna felt hers doing the same thing. "Ehmm...Well...I...Err...I.." He rubbed his neck and gave a quick glance in the direction Selyna was standing. She quickly turned her head and walked towards the firepit. "I-I suppose not..." Tamlen stumbled.

"Buenos días, my lovely Grey Warden."

"Callarse, Zev."

Zevran raised his eyebrows "My my! It appears that our fearless leader speaks Antivan. But why use such hurtful words?" Selyna rolled her eyes, while she did this her eyes rested on Tamlen and Neria a few moments longer than necessary. A gesture that didn't go unnoticed by the assassin."Do I sense jealousy?" He asked with a smirk.

She glared daggers at him "I don't know, are you disappointed that you don't get the interest she is giving him?"

The assassin smirked "Are you?"

Selyna shrugged, _I hate it when one reflects questions back to me. _"I have no interest in women." The she-elf replied. Before Zevran could find a suitable answer to that Alistair and Oghren joined them at the fire, apparently in a heavy discussion. "Ye know what would do ye some good?" Oghren asked the templar.

"A pair of nose plugs?" Alistair said while waving a hand in front of his face as to clean the air from the ale stench the dwarf brought with him.

"He's is right." Selyna noticed "What did you do? Took a bath in your booze?"

Alistair grinned "Don't listen to her you smell great; is that death you're wearing? It really suits you."

The dwarf ignored their replies and focused on Alistair "Go out, find a girl. Doesn't matter who, as long as there's no pants involved."

"Are you telling me to go to a brothel?" He asked surprised "We're in the middle of a forest! In case you haven't noticed."

"I didn't tell ye to visit the whores son, just a girl. We have enough girls in camp."

"Pardon?"

"Aye, we have the witch, the bard, that new human and the red-haired elf." He grinned and looked at Selyna "Maybe the boss here is willing-" Before he could finish that sentence the elf in question had (in the absence of her own weapons) grabbed Zevran's dagger from the sheath on his back pierced it through one of the braids in Oghren's mustache and pinned it deep in the ground.

Oghren was taken in surprise and couldn't manage to pull the dagger out of the ground "AY!" he yelled, causing the other party members to look at the group around the firepit suspiciously, rushing towards them as soon as they saw Oghren helplessly on the ground. "What happened?"

Alistair shook his head "Normally I'll stay out of this whole elven/dwarven thing, but this..." He gestured to Oghren and the dagger "Is entirely his own fault."

"The first one who releases him I'll feed to the wolves."

"Dear Selyna, I really do need my dagger."

She sniffed, a action she regretted with Oghren so close "Neria, give Zevran one of your daggers. Zevran give her your spare sword. It's more effective to fight like that anyway."

"But I don't know how to use a long sword like that."

Selyna rolled her eyes "I'm sure Zevran would be glad to teach you."

xOx

"Another day wasted by walking through this forest." Melissa muttered when they all sat around the large fire. "How can you keep track here?" She asked Selyna and Tamlen.

"Our clan camped in this forest every year. How can you not keep track in a place you call home?" Tamlen answered

"You know this place so well then? Yet you can't find your own clan."

All of them were tensed. After the 'disagreement' between Oghren and Selyna three weeks earlier was solved and she had finally allowed someone to release him the group had agreed to seek out the Dalish in the Brecilian Forest. They were doing this same thing over and over again for the last month. (Well, the wandering through the forest part. Not the pinning dwarves to the ground bit.)

Today was a night different from the normal nights in camp, though. Normally Daylen and Morrigan would talk over by the small fire she'd made, where Daylen desperately tried to convince her to teach him a thing or two about shapeshifting. While Zevran and Neria were training on her fighting skills. Of course this 'training' came along with a large amount of compliments and flirtations from both sides.

Oghren mostly past out somewhere between setting up camp and eating supper, but no one was really bothered by that. Better passed out than hearing his drunk man talks. Sten and Shale kept apart from the rest, not willing to talk. While the others sat around the fire to...well, talk.

No, this night was nothing like the others. They had set up camp on a very small clearing in the forest and due lack of space the whole group was sitting around the large fire. Morrigan didn't even had the space to set up her tent apart from the rest. She was forced to place it next to the others.

"Have you even noticed how big this forest is?" Selyna asked Morrigan annoyed "It takes months to get from one side to the other."

The witch rolled her eyes and turned to Daylen, who was sitting next to her. "It's cold in my tent, all alone..." She said, on a softer tone, almost pitiful and somewhat childlike.

The mage obviously didn't understood the clue. All he did was raising his eyebrows while he said "Then why don't you get a thicker blanket?" When he finished talking most of the people around the fire let out a groan while the others slapped a hand against their forehead. "You my friend, are really bad at taking hints." Zevran pointed out.

Morrigan chuckled "I was thinking a warm body next to mine might be even better."

Daylen frowned "Then why do you need me..." He cut himself off while his moth formed a big O, it took him a few more seconds to formulate a proper answer without stumbling "Well then. Can't let the lady wait, can I?"

"Good. Then let us waste no more time with foolish talk." The witch said and they both retired in her tent.

"You don't... think that he's serious about it, do you?" Leliana asked "The woman is a vile fiend."

To everyone's surprise Wynne replied "Perhaps he will be a good influence on her." The bard sighed "Perhaps..."

"Leliana, why don't you tell us what you know about this place?" Alistair asked. Just like everyone he knew how she liked to tell them stories, maybe it would cheer her up.

It did, just as he was done talking a smile split her face in half "I would love to!" her voice sounded mysterious as she started telling the tale "People have always spoken of dark and mysterious woods, haunted by unseen beings. The Brecilian Forest is one such forest. They say the Veil is thin here and spirits from the Fade pass over, drifting through the trees and giving them an unnatural and sinister intelligence. It is said that if you feel you are being watched in the Brecilian Forest, you are."

"Tsk. I've always hated forests." Neria said with a look of displeasure on her face "Now we have to travel through a haunted one with haunted inhabitants, typical."

The two Dalish turned their gaze at her, within seconds their eyes flashed gold. "Says the one who lived in an Alienage her whole life, where elves are covered in the filth of shemlens?" Selyna scoffed "You're right, the forest is terrible..."

Neria narrowed her eyes at her "At least I'm not a nomadic tree hugger who kills innocents!" She spat while standing up straight, Selyna did the same "Take that back!"

"Make me!"

"Take it back flat-ear!" Selyna threatened.

Neria unsheathed her daggers. "Don't you dare calling me that!"

Her hands went to her Dar'Misu and Dar'Misaan but before she could draw them she heard someone say "Shah'ti!" and felt to hands on her shoulders, guiding her to the edge of camp, "Archery time." Tamlen said bitterly and Selyna nodded. It was probably not a good idea to fight with their own companions.

"But it's almost midnight!" Leliana yelled after them "You can't see what you hit!"

Alistair shook his head "Never mind that. I think they just need to release their anger." He turned to Neria "And if you prefer the world of the living above the fade I'll advise you not to do that again."

The elf snorted "And why don't you tell _that_ to her?"

"Because I don't doubt the fact that, if it comes to a fight, she would win."

xOx

Selyna released the string, already yanking another arrow out of her quiver before the first thudded into the bark twenty feet away from her. Next to her she saw Tamlen doing the same. Their attention was solely focused on the tree they were peppering with arrows, as many as they could shoot. Normally they would do these kind of things as target practice, but both elves had noticed that it was also a great outlet for their rage.

"Are you even hitting something?" Alistair's question was answered by a loud 'trrr' sound as the arrow's Selyna and Tamlen shot pierced the bark simultaneously. "Okay... forget that I'd say something."

He stood there for a few more minutes watching the elves perforating trees, neither one of them bothered talking to him. "Is slaughtering trees not a bit..." He sighed "...pointless?"

"Better than slaughtering our companions."

Alistair shook his head "Alright, but if you're going to stay awake this entire night, you two are on watch."

Selyna's hand went back to her quiver, but found it empty. She rolled her eyes when she heard Alistair impatiently tapping his foot on the forest ground "Fine, we keep watch." The templar smiled victoriously before turning on his heels and walking back to his tent.

The she-elf watched as Tamlen shot away his last arrows. When he looked at her she saw the gold slowly fading, leaving only a few stripes behind. "We'll better go get those arrows if we want them to be of any further use." She nodded in response.

They pulled the arrows out of the trees in silence. But when they walked back to the camp Tamlen chose to break the silence. "Lethallin?" he asked.

"Khi?"

He stopped walking on a safe hearing distance from the camp, hoping that the others could not hear them talk. "Why are we walking in circles?"

Instead of looking at him she chose to look at the ground "So you've noticed?"

Tamlen laughed softly "It's hard not to notice. It surprises me that none of the others recognizes the area's we walk through. But then again they didn't saw this forest as their home for over twenty years."

"It surprised me too," Selyna chuckled before turning serious "But you've the right to know..." she swallowed "Last week when I was out hunting with Assan I ran into three other Dalish hunters." She quickly placed a hand over his mouth to silence the protests that she knew that were coming "Hush, Lethallan. Don't wake up the others." He nodded and she moved her hand away "I didn't told you...because..well...the clan thinks you're...dead."

"What?!" he hissed, it took him a lot of effort to not scream that out loud.

"Well your funeral was nice, large turnout." When she saw a look of distress in Tamlen's eyes she quickly continued "I jest. I do not know if you had a large turnout, or a funeral for that matter. I was not allowed to stay with the clan any longer. Not even to seek you out or stay for the funeral."

"Oh"

Selyna shrugged "The keeper had told me that the clan was leaving before I left. So you can see that, when I saw that one of the three hunters was a hunter from our clan I was quite surprised. They told me they had to stay because of the Arlathvhen."

Tamlen nodded to show her that he understood "What are we going to do now?"

"I had to walk until I knew for sure that the humans, Sten and the dwarves were completely lost. Mission succeeded, I think. Let's pay them a visit tomorrow around dawn."

xOx

"You know, when you're keeping watch..." The templar said while kicking a rock away "You are suppose to stay in camp to- Well, keep watch!"

Melissa grinned as her eyes quickly scanned the camp. "At least they left a note..." She said while picking up the piece of vellum that was placed near the extinguished fire. When she read it her eyes went big. "...O"

"What? What does it says?" Alistair looked over her shoulder, letting out a sigh as soon as he saw the handwriting "Great..." he muttered while looking over his shoulder to the others "Anyone here who can read Elvish?"

When no one answered Melissa shook her head and turned the paper between her fingers "Alistair!" She said when her eyes fell on the backside "There is something on the back. It's addressed to you...I think."

_Ellestar,_

_We r bak beefour sun'set, staj wher u ar._

_-Selyna_

* * *

**English-Elvish translation:**

Khi - Yes  
Shah - No  
Krild - Stupid  
Abelas - Sorry  
Shah'ti - Stop that  
Shemlen - Human  
Shue Khi - I agree  
Iy'neama - Be quiet  
Ma serannas - Thank you  
Ma nuvenim - As you wish  
Lethallan - Friend of mine. Used for males.  
Lethallin - Friend of mine. Used for females.  
Lethallen - Friends of mine (Plural of Lethallan/Lethallin).  
Assan - Arrow (Name of Selyna's White wolf)  
Andaran Arlathvhen - Welcome to the Arlathvhen  
Adahlen - Forest (Name of Tamlen's Mabari hound)  
Setheneran - Land of walking dreams. A place where the Veil is thin.  
Hahren - How the Dalish call the immortal, sometimes used as a term of respect towards the Elders of the clan.  
Arlathvhen - The Dalish gather every ten years for the Arlathvhen, to retell the ancient stories and keep them alive.  
Callarse - Shut up (in Antivan/Spanish)


	11. Her Notes

**Author's Notes:** I'm sorry, but I have to tell you that Living a Legend won't be continued. However, I have just started writing a new story (Any Means Necessary) that will be loosely based around the events happened in this story so far. Literally. There will be a prologue in the story to introduce new readers to it, but after that it will continue on where we left off here (the Dalish are still next on the program after all).

There are a few changes in the new story (F.E. Selyna is now called Zulandra or Zula and her personality/appearance have been a tweaked a little), but nothing too major.

Now, Any Means Necessary won't be entirely the same, of course. Like I said, it will be based around the events that happened here so far but it's also a story by itself. You will probably find Zula being a bit more serious and disliking towards humans than Selyna, and Melissa, Neria and Daylen won't be making their appearance untill a little further into the story. The big lines from Living a Legend have happened though; Zula and Tamlen did join the Grey Wardens, Zula was forced to take the lead, they did already go to Orzammar and the Tower, they were taken to Denerim by Slave Drivers, Selyna was Poisoned and they are on their way to the Dalish now.

I really hope you will enjoy Any Means Necessary!

~DreamerOnDrugs


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